Madison mayor wants to limit bench sitting to one hour

[Liberal_in_LA]

Madison's mayor says he has a way to deal with the city's growing transient population. Paul Soglin would limit the time one could spend sitting on a bench in the downtown area. Lying down on the bench would be prohibited.

Soglin planned to talk about his idea with City Council members Friday and formally introduce the proposal Tuesday. The mayor says the city's "no rules" policy for the homeless and drifters had led to violence, drunkenness, drug use and trading sex for drugs. Soglin say the city has created a "circus atmosphere where anything goes."

Homeless advocate Brenda Konkel is blasting the proposal which would make bench-sitting for more than an hour a fineable offense.
http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/Proposed-ordinance-targets-Madisons-homeless-320208231.html?device=tablet&c=y

[bigwillq]

1. Or how about you give the homeless a HOME.

I'm sure there are buildings in Madison that can be used to house the homeless.

But, no. Let's make another dumb law. SMH

[daleanime]

2. +1

[NV Whino]

3. Wow, great idea

The traffic cops, instead of marking tires, can re routed to parks to mark shoes.

For the impaired.

[trueblue2007]

4. MADISON'S MAYOR = MORON

[Scuba]

5. Soglin was a good guy back in the '60's, but he turned into an ass somewhere along the line.

[Scuba]

10. That's right. Tax the rich. Tax and tax and tax them until they're only fabulously wealthy.

[former9thward]

11. Which would do exactly nothing

about university town transients seeking money and drugs from students.

[Scuba]

14. You seem to have a very distasteful image of Wisconsin's poor. Too much Sykes and Belling?

[TBF]

15. Wow. Large post count but I'm having a hard

time believing what I'm reading. And you have a problem with taxing the folks who have been taking all new wealth the past several years? What are you doing on a democratic party website if you have no sympathy for the poor and disenfranchised?

[onethatcares]

6. who gets the stopwatch?

I thought we were looking for smaller government but I might be mistaken.

btw, they probably aren't transients, they are homeless Wisconians that have to sleep on benches because their homes have bee lost.

[former9thward]

9. Not in downtown Madison.

They are transients trying to guilt U of W students into giving them money.

[SamKnause]

7. That is a wonderful idea.

Now the 'police' can start murdering people for sitting too long.

Will the benches have meters ???

The 'police' can make revenue by writing tickets for expired time on meters.

Corporations can control the meters and increase their wealth.

They can steadily increase the costs of the meters and the 'police'

can murder those who allow the time on their meters to expire.

It will be good for the courts, the jails, the corporations who control the meters,

the undertakers and the coffin makers.

[onethatcares]

12. are you some kind of

free market capitalist?

If you get in early I hear there's going to be a new sidewalk ordinance where you have to walk on the proper side or get a ticket.

You won't be able to, how should I say this, "Tailgate" as that will be considered sidewalk rage. Fines/fees and cop costs are all extra.

[SamKnause]

17. We can charge per step.

Concrete is not free.

No one has the right to wear out the sidewalks.

[onethatcares]

19. I guess

skipping is outa the question along with hopscotch.

jeez, we're onto something that could change the entire funding of municipalities. Can you keep a secret?

[Cal Carpenter]

13. It's not the lack of RULES, assholes.

It's the lack of HOMES and SERVICES and JOBS and fucking COMPASSION.

Jesus Christ.

Yeah, fine the homeless CITIZENS for sitting on a PUBLIC BENCH. Blood from a stone.

Arrrghrhjrhjshgksdfjg;sjkldfg;klsfjgklsfmg.

[TBF]

16. +1000 K&R nt

[dembotoz]

18. there are events in madison like art shows markets etc and sometimes they appeal to one fam member

over the other.
the non participatory member gets dragged out of the house
dragged to an event and just wants to find a place where he(she) can wait out the spouses going to booth to booth like a tortoise with bad feet.

and now the cop is gonna hassle them too?????

there will be some interesting conversations