Port Orange looks to follow Daytona Beach's footstep and regulate panhandling

PORT ORANGE, Fla. - Tuesday, Port Orange city leaders are expected to vote on whether to put a panhandling ordinance in place after a first reading in January was approved unanimously.

Mayor Don Burnette said the city has received many complaints from residents and businesses about aggressive panhandling. 

"We’ve got one that’s urinated on the side of the road. We’ve got one that’s gone into a business and trashed the bathroom," he said.

He said the ordinance would focus on aggressive behaviors associated with panhandling and would not outlaw panhandling in general.

He said the city worked with the same attorney Daytona Beach contracted to write its ordinance on panhandling that went into effect in February of 2019.

Mayor Burnette said he noticed an increase following Daytona’s approval.

"Certainly when Daytona passed their ordinance, it had an impact on Port Orange," he said.

Joseph Raico said he used to panhandle in Daytona Beach but moved to a major Port Orange intersection after getting arrested twice.

"Because Daytona Beach cops shut that down and the city hall too," he said.

Alicia Howarth has worked at Debbie’s Health Foods for 20 years. She said aggressive panhandling has made customers uneasy.

"Sometimes they’ll harass them and follow them, but if I see it when I’m looking out the window I’ll go and say something," she said. 

If Port Orange takes action, she wonders if panhandlers will move on to another city.

"It is tough and I think that’s what's gonna happen and they’re gonna have to keep following this procedure until there’s a solution," she said. 

The ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union, wrote a letter to the mayor and city council saying it was against the ordinance. The organization asked for a meeting with the leaders.