Our city is proposing a panhandling ordinance.

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A proposed panhandling ordinance is an all-or-nothing proposition that would also put a stop to well-meaning street-corner charity drives, a city attorney told Dallas City Council members Tuesday.

Mayor Laura Miller and a few council members have sought ways to rein in pushy beggars who set up shop at busy intersections and hit up passing motorists for money.

When I first heard the story on my local NPR station, they mentioned that begging, petitioning and distributing flyers would all be outlawed, which actually sounded fairly disturbing (though this story doesn't mention such details).

Now, we do have an increasing problem in Dallas. It has gotten worse. On nearly every intersection surrounding the building I work there are beggars and people selling giant Pixie Sticks (though who the hell actually buys them, I don't know).

I have mixed feelings about outlawing panhandling. Firstly, I would want to know what the proposed penalties are (the Dallas Morning News really is a pretty crappy paper...this info is not mentioned in the story either).

But soliciting signatures for a petition? Distributing flyers? I'd have a real problem with either of these being restricted in any real way.

I don't know when this is up for vote before the City Council, but I plan to check into it further.