Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 12:46:09 -0700 From: craig.echeveste@phoenix.gov Subject: city of phoenix jails homeless people who use parks To: *******@*****.***, steve.turner@phoenix.gov, snail , doug.lingner@phoenix.gov
By the way, I think that we can assume that the shopping carts came from a store at some point. Can we also assume that the homeless person purchased the cart? by allowing these in City parks would we be condoning the theft of these carts? maybe the city is simply discriminating against people who shop at stores that use carts. just a thought. CE ----- Forwarded by Craig Echeveste/PCC/PHX on 01/31/02 12:40 PM -----
Council District 7 01/31/02 09:22 AM
To: Doug Lingner, Craig Echeveste, Monica Figueroa, Herminia Mendoza cc: Subject: city of phoenix jails homeless people who use parks
FYI
*******@*****.*** 01/30/2002 05:45 PM EST Please respond to milton
To: *******@*****.*** cc: bcc: Subject: city of phoenix jails homeless people who use parks
this is a copy of the letter i sent to the phoenix city council members. they have been putting up signs in the city parks that say
SHOPPING CARTS NOT ALLOWED IN CITY PARKS
and are using this hokey logic as a reason to put up the signs.
maybe you can write a story about it.
dear phoenix council members:
when i visited the new steele indian school park on indian school road and central and saw the city sign that said
SHOPPING CARTS NOT ALLOWED IN CITY PARKS
i though my how clever. the goons on the phoenix city council knew it would be unconstitional to pass a law making it illegal for homeless people to use city parks so they got around it by passing a law making shopping carts illegal in city parks knowing that many homeless people carry around all their belongings in shopping carts.
im not a legal scholar but i assumed that a law making shopping carts illegal would probably also be unconstitional because every body knows the only people in city parks with shopping carts are homeless people so a law making shopping carts illegal would effectivelly be a law making it illegal for homeless people to use the citys parks.
so the goons on the city of phoenix city council are a lot smarter then i though. they didnt pass a law making shopping carts illegal in city parks as a cheep way to keep homeless people out of city parks.
instead the devious council members passed a law outlawing wheeled devices in city parks under the name of making the park safer - and then posted a sign saying
SHOPPING CARTS NOT ALLOWED IN CITY PARKS
to keep the homeless people from entering the parks.
i rode my bike to the new steele indian school park, and spent a half hour riding my bike around the park checking it out. not once did the park ranger come up to me and tell me i was a dangerous criminal for riding my bike around the park.
i also saw people on rollerblades at the park. i didnt notice any government goons chasing them out of the park.
so if the intent of this law is to keep bikes and rollerblades out of the parks the law is not working or being enforced. nor do the signs inform people that rollerblades, bikes and skate boards are not welcome in the parks. the signs clearly say
SHOPPING CARTS NOT ALLOWED IN CITY PARKS
not a word is said that rollerblades, bikes and skate boards are also illegal in the parks.
while i dont ever remember ever being almost run down by a shopping cart while at frys shopping (or for that matter by a homeless person with a shopping cart on the street) if the intent of the law is really to make city safer maybe you should consider banning shopping carts in supermarkets.
i think your lying when you ell me
"The goal of this ordnance is to reduce vandalism and encourage participants to walk within the park and not be threaten by wheeled device users."
the goal of this ordnance is to keep homeless people out of the city of phoenix parks.
yours
mike ross
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 09:02:55 -0700 From: steve.turner@phoenix.gov Subject: Attention Mike Ross To: snail
Dear Mr. Ross,
Regarding the ordinance restricting wheeled devices in Steele Indian School Park, this is not aimed specifically at shopping carts. The intent is to restrict all wheeled devices, skateboards, bicycles, rollerblades,etc., including shopping carts. The goal of this ordnance is to reduce vandalism and encourage participants to walk within the park and not be threaten by wheeled device users.
In the event that you have any additional questions, please call me at 602-2621-8606.
Steve Turner Management Assistant
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 09:02:55 -0700 From: joanne.brakatselos@phoenix.gov Subject: CC 24-26 To: snail
Dear Sir:
Below is CC 24-26 that you have requested; the text can be found in the Phoenix City Code and states as follows:
Sec. 24-26. Prohibition of wheeled devices in public parks.
A. No person shall operate a skateboard, conventional or in-line roller skates, bicycle, wagon, or other wheeled vehicle or device in a public park where one or more signs are posted prohibiting such activity, or in a manner which causes injury to any person or damage to public or private property.
Please send me your address and I will be happy to send you a hard Thank you.
-- "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty " Thomas Jefferson