The Intelligencer
WHEELING, W.Va. – Several citizens spoke out in opposition to the measure and one council member voted against it, but a majority of Wheeling City Council members on Wednesday night voted to support legislation that essentially criminalizes panhandling in the city.
Other larger municipalities in West Virginia are expected to follow Wheeling’s lead on the issue and pursue similar legislation to address concerns over interactions between pedestrians and motorists. Wheeling City Solicitor Rosemary Humway-Warmuth indicated that she collaborated with representatives from legal departments in other cities in the state and was confident that it would stand up to any potential legal challenges.
During Wednesday night’s meeting of Wheeling City Council, city leaders heard a second reading of the Pedestrian and Vehicle Safety ordinance that places numerous specific restrictions on interactions between pedestrians and people in motor vehicles that are situated in a lane of traffic. A public hearing on the matter also took place at the beginning of the meeting, and seven individuals signed up to speak on the ordinance.
Almost all of them spoke against the measure, painting it as yet another step toward infringing on the rights of less fortunate people in the community. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in the past that panhandling is protected as free speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution. However, a number of U.S. cities have moved forward with public safety restrictions that focus on prohibiting dangers posed by interactions between individuals who are on foot and people in motor vehicles.
