Abreu Discusses Withdrawn Panhandling Ordinance

A proposed ordinance requiring licenses for panhandlers in New Bedford was struck down during Thursday night's City Council meeting.

City Councillor-At-Large Ian Abreu withdrew the motion he proposed after facing opposition from both Mayor Jon Mitchell and the American Civil Liberties Union.

The proposal was based on a similar law in Akron, Ohio which Abreu tells WBSM's Brian Thomas has only recently come under legal scrutiny.

"Akron has been on the books for ten years, it was in black and white, it was enforced, they sought the compliance, and then yesterday morning we get the breaking news that the ACLU was threatening them with a lawsuit," said Abreu "so the timing was very interesting I found."

However, Abreu says that despite the setback he plans to work with the Mayor's office and homeless advocates to create a proposal that all sides can agree on.

"We're going to start working with the council and the mayor's office and we're going to start engaging other public-private sector partners and addressing this issue in the near future so that A, everyone benefits, but B, we can pass some type of ordinance that can pass Constitutional muster," said Abreu.