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Oklahoma City Passes Ban on Activities in Medians

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Jerry Bruggeman sells The Curbside Chronicle on a median in Oklahoma City.

By a 7-2 vote, the Oklahoma City Council bans activities in medians less than 30 feet wide.

For more than two hours, several organizations who help the poor and homeless spoke in opposition to the measure. Only one group spoke in support.

Councilwoman Meg Salyer says she pushed the bill and amended it to deal with public safety.

"The ordinance before us today, amending Chapter 32 of the municipal code about motor vehicles and traffic, addresses the public safety issue of both pedestrians and drivers," says Salyer.

But, Councilman Pete White, who voted against the measure, says it only became a public safety issue once the city realized it couldn’t just ban panhandling outright. He claims the ordinance comes out of some citizens' disdain over seeing panhandlers on city streets.

"You can't put those people off of the intersection and expect them not to exist someplace. You've got to deal with that problem as it exists," says White. "I'm offended by the whole process and I'm offended by the people that support it."

Under new amendments, a person could stand in medians less than 30 feet wide only if they are standing 200 feet away from the intersection or if the median contains a trail, park, or bench.

The amendments also drop the fine from $500 to $100.

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Michael Cross is the host of KOSU's Morning Edition.
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