Finding a Green Way to Govern

The American Civil Liberties Union has written a lengthy opinion on the constitutionality of the proposed Remington/Ostrow Aggressive Solicitation ordinance that passed today. Their basic interpretation echoes my own: the constitutionality of this amendment is highly questionable. They conclude, and I agree, that Remington and Ostrow, along with the Council majority, have now passed an ordinance that will unfortunately be challenged in court, and there is a good chance that we will lose. This has been reaffirmed by some of our City Attorney's own opinion that certain provisions of the Remington/Ostrow amendment is a "roll of the dice." Here's the whole opinion: I. INTRODUCTION All individuals in the City of Minneapolis, including people who are homeless or appear to be homeless, have a Constitutional right to be in public places for an unlimited amount of time, so long as they are not obstructing pedestrian or vehicular traffic, breaching the peace, or otherwise viola...

Star Tribune columnist Nick Coleman has also now weighed in on the Remington/Ostrow Aggressive Solicitation amendment.

From the notice for an upcoming National Night Out event: Get ready and get inspired!! Longfellow and Seward National Night Out Information and ideas Neighborhood BBQ and Potluck Monday, June 18, 6:00 - 8:00 pm at Brackett Park, 2728 39th Ave S Have you wanted to have a National Night Out block party but didn't know where to start? Have you had one but need some new ideas for activities? Are you a successful block club that wants to share your experiences with other residents and block clubs? Come join your neighbors to learn more about National Night Out and get ideas for your party! Come eat and visit with your neighbors. We will be grilling outside at Brackett Park. Bring lawn chairs. Meat and refreshments will be provided. Bring your favorite dish to share! In case of rain, we will gather in the large room at the Brackett Park building. Everyone is welcome! For more information, contact: Crime Prevention Specialist Shun Tillman, MPD 3rd Precinct, 612-673-2846, shun.tillman@ci...

Conservative Star Tribune columnist Katherine Kersten agrees with Council Members Remington and Ostrow that "[t]he future of downtown is threatened by beggars." She quotes Sam Grabarski, president of the Downtown Council, describing an incident where a panhandler grabbed him. Like almost every incident that has been described by supporters of the Remington/Ostrow amendment, this is already against the law . He goes on to describe panhandlers trying to "extort money from waitresses at outdoor cafes by threatening to harass customers if they aren't paid off" and following "families down the street and curse them unless they give." Again, these behaviors are already against the law . True to form, Kersten's article confuses the issue rather than helping educate readers. Unfortunately, so does the proposed ordinance that she is supporting.

The City Pages blotter has an interesting article today on the public hearing on Aggressive Solicitation last week. I hope we'll see a longer print article on this topic in an upcoming issue, a good follow-up to their recent cover story on " The Neighbors You Don't Know ."