License panhandlers

Kentucky courts recently ruled it a right to solicit money on the streets of Lexington. It is hard to believe the city cannot find a reasonable solution to the problem of individuals accosting drivers and pedestrians.

Since I deem anyone who begs for money for more than a couple of days as someone running a business, wouldn’t it be reasonable to require them to obtain a permit or license to “operate” their businesses?

Some might say that it would be too expensive for people down on their luck to pay a fee, so what about not charging? This way, we would at least be able to track who is not reporting this income to state and federal tax agencies. And perhaps Lexington could get a handle on what is fast becoming a big problem.

Lexington requires street vendors to obtain a permit, so why not solicitors of money?

This story was originally published February 24, 2017 at 8:33 PM with the headline "License panhandlers."