Missouri city bans donating to panhandlers through vehicle windows

About a month after the local sheriff discouraged donations to panhandlers and implied they only use the funds to buy beer, the Springfield City Council banned giving money or items to roadside panhandlers.

Council members voted unanimously on Monday to approve the new ordinance, which also includes provisions meant to decrease vehicle-pedestrian crashes with rules for crossing streets and standing in medians.

The minimum fine for violations is $100.

Mayor Ken McClure supported the new laws.

“I supported doing a pedestrian safety study and developing a subsequent ordinance because of the unfortunate number of pedestrians being struck or killed on Springfield streets. The ordinance was a logical follow-up to our education and awareness campaign, and I am hopeful that this will save lives,” McClure said, adding that five pedestrians have been killed within the last year.

The study also found that an average of 60 people are struck by vehicles each year in the city.

A city release stated police will “proactively enforce the ordinance” beginning in January.

Under the new rules, motorists would still be allowed to give if they are legally parked.

Cora Scott, the city’s director of public information, said there have not been any documented instances of pedestrian-vehicle crashes stemming from exchanges between panhandlers and motorists.

Jim Arnott, the Greene County sheriff who last month criticized panhandlers and those who donate to them, said he is “glad the city is moving forward regarding their ordinance.”

Arnott’s Facebook post, which included photos of a homeless man’s belongings in a median, had thousands of shares. It read in full:

“Springfield I know you are generous. However when you give nice coats, food and pack a bag with gloves, sweatshirts etc, after they have enough cash, they leave your stuff and go buy beer to enjoy back at their house. Stop enabling this behavior!! Done with rant, Sheriff. BTW, this is not about homeless people. It’s about panhandling.”

The Springfield News-Leader tracked down the man whose items Arnott had photographed. Dennis Heiskill is homeless and regularly panhandles to buy food or a motel room, he said.

He stations himself on a narrow median in the middle of a busy roadway.

He told the News-Leader, “First of all, let me say Springfield, Missouri, can be proud of itself. This is the giving-est, most loving people I’ve ever encountered.”

Now that giving, at least through a vehicle window, has been outlawed.

“If I did not have an impact at least I brought about awareness of this issue,” Arnott told The Star about the City Council’s vote.

The News-Leader reported that Arnott’s Facebook post prompted many to send complaints to the City Council about panhandlers in the city, saying they negatively affected tourism and businesses.

But others criticized that stance, calling for more compassion in the city.

“This ‘problem’ that y’all seem to call it would not be a problem if people actually took the time to help these people instead of shaming them,” wrote Lisa Collins on Facebook before the new ordinance passed.

There are still many options for shelter and food for the city’s homeless and impoverished, said Jason Hynson, the executive director of Springfield Victory Mission.

The nonprofit association offers a free meal every night. Hynson also named other area organizations that provide services to homeless populations, such as The Kitchen, One Door and Harbor House.

Citing those other organizations, Hynson said he supports Springfield’s new anti-panhandling ordinance.

“We have a very engaged community, so I think if the community knew the need and had a bit of a vetting process, that might be a better solution (than panhandling),” Hynson said. “For us we’d welcome the opportunity to help if (panhandlers) need help, instead of maybe resorting to that kind of behavior.”

This week, a similar ordinance was approved in Wichita.

This story was originally published December 13, 2017 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Missouri city bans donating to panhandlers through vehicle windows."