It is not the intent of the City Council of the city to completely prohibit the solicitation of alms in the city. Rather, it is the purpose and intent of the City Council, through adoption of this subchapter, to provide additional enforcement tools to protect businesses and their potential customers from harassment by beggars or solicitors of alms, and from persons soliciting donations in exchange for token service. Victims of the conduct prohibited by this section include the persons accosted, the owners and employees of businesses which lose customers because such begging or soliciting has caused the potential customers to feel intimidated and/or harassed, and the city as a whole, which loses sales tax revenues because of lost sales.
(Ord. 1099, passed 3-1-95)