New law proposed to curb panhandling in Cheektowaga

Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - There's a proposal in the Town of Cheektowaga that would curb panhandling. Some town board members have complained about aggressive panhandling as of late.

The proposed law would ban panhandling within 50 feet of places like ATMs, banks and public transit areas. Panhandling would also be banned on sidewalks and streets.

"I can say, from my part, that I have had some folks over the years complain about the panhandlers, and some of our shopping classes and things like that. I haven't had any recent calls. I'm not exactly sure what prompted this, as far as their case, but they may have gotten some of those complaints come across their desk as well," says Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Brian Nowak.

Nowak says if somebody's going right up to somebody's car window at a drive thru, that would be considered aggressive panhandling. He adds there are existing laws that would cover people's ability to merely stand and panhandle and the right to do that.

The bill's sponsors may have heard more complaints than Nowak has.

"There are people outside of a plaza asking for money, or folks doing this, that and the third, but situations where it's gotten to the point where somebody's banging on a car window or being aggressive, or situations like that, I've not heard. I've not gotten much of those complaints, those types of complaints, they come my way," Nowak said.

Nowak also believes laws are already on the books to address complaints.

"When you get into situations, the trespassing or harassment or other laws that are on the books, those type of laws are already covering some of these situations. If somebody's on property that they're not allowed to be on, you can get them off of that based on trespassing," Nowak explained.

Nowak also wants clarification to allow firefighters to do "fill the boot" drives, which involve them being on the roadway to collect funds.

The proposed law calls for fines of $25 to $250, with a second offense potentially resulting in up to 15 days in jail. It will be revisited at the upcoming Town Board meeting scheduled for Sept. 24.