Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 9-4-15 Edition

Features
County Ordinance Leads To City Police Harassing Newspaper Vendors
On June 11, 2015, the City Council, in a 6-0 vote, de- cided to repeal it’s ordinance dealing with Panhandling in the city limits. That meant that panhandlers and vendors would have to abide by the county’s ordinance again that prohibits panhandling and vending in certain areas with the exception of Sundays.
Hillsborough County At- torney Chip Fletcher ex- plained that there probably should be a split in the ordi- nance between panhandling and vending, but during the time the ordinance was en- acted, the Courts didn’t sepa- rate the two acts because of first amendment issues.
“According to the Supreme Court, whether you’re panhandling or vend- ing makes no difference. The actions taken before the act is committed is what the Courts looked at and decided they were the same. Either way they ruled it was soliciting.”
Fletcher said they are aware of how the county’s ordinance im- pacts the street sale of newspapers, but the Supreme Court is protec- tive of free speech.
“We will take a look at the
ordinance and federal legisla- tion to see if anything has changed.
“The current ordinance could be amended, but be- cause of the first amendment issues, the acts can’t be sepa- rated.”
A local non-profit organi- zation, Homeless Helping Homeless, had been im- pacted by the ordinance, and has taken action.
The organization has filed a lawsuit targeting a pair of city ordinances one passed in 2011 that prohibits begging on city streets every day but Sunday while allowing news- paper vendors to work the seven days a week.
The second ordinance being challenged by Home- less Helping Homeless was passed in 2013 and bans pan- handling in downtown and Ybor City, as well as near banks, ATMs, sidewalk cafes and bus or trolley stops. It did not prevent people from hold- ing signs.
County Commissioner Les Miller has been adamant about his displeas- ure of the ordinance putting people out of work, especially those with families to sup- port.
State Lawmakers Honored By Florida Association Of Counties
Senate Democratic Leader Arthenia Joyner (D-Tampa) and Representative Ed Narain (D-Tampa) were recently honored by the Florida Association of Counties for their advocacy on behalf of local government during the 2015 legislative session.
Leader Joyner was presented with the 2015 “Leadership Award” in recognition of ac- tions “above and beyond” her peers, noted Lisa Hurley, Esq., the Association’s Legisla- tive Director.
In particular, Leader Joyner was cited for her work to preserve the autonomy of local governments to pass legislation directly im- pacting their communities, and maintaining equitable cost sharing from the state for public services.
In naming Rep. Narain the recipient of the 2015 “County Champion Award,” the As- sociation underscored his commitment to eco- nomic development and work on Enterprise Zones, two areas on which the freshman law- maker promised to spearhead more attention from the state legislature.
“The consequences of legislation handed down from Tallahassee to local communities in Florida are often overlooked or ignored,” Leader Joyner said.
“One size does not fit all, and I remain committed to protecting the unique needs of the communities we represent.”
Rep. Narain agreed, pointing to eco- nomic development as an example of the crit-
State Representative Ed Narain and State Sen- ator Arthenia Joyner display awards recently pre- sented to them by the Florida Association of Counties.
ical importance of maintaining local input. “A Tallahassee plan to create new jobs might look great on paper, but unless the in- dividual strengths and weaknesses of commu- nities are taken into account, it’s unlikely to deliver much help to where the help is needed
most,” he said.
“It’s our job to make sure the local voices
are heard and the work gets to where it needs to go.”
Tampa General Recognized For Support Of Minority Owned Businesses
Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has been named Cor- poration of the Year by the Central and North Florida Minority Supplier Develop- ment Council. It is the highest level of recognition the coun- cil awards to corporations.
Tampa General Hospital was recognized for increasing its relationships with certified minority-owned businesses by 49 percent since 2014. In addition, the hospital actively participates in educational and advancement opportuni- ties for minority-owned busi- nesses.
In June, Tampa General hosted the 2015 Tampa Bay Diversity Expo, which drew more than 740 attendees.
“Our minority business enterprise program is another
way we support the local community. The success of our efforts to do business with minority-owned compa- nies reflects the commitment of the entire hospital,” Mark Campbell, Vice President of Materials Management said.
“Tampa General does business with many certified local, state and national mi- nority-owned companies, and we frequently work with our large vendors to ensure they use those businesses as well,” Felix Bratslavsky, the hos- pital’s Minority Business En- terprise Manager said.
With four chapters in Florida, the council’s mission is to provide a direct link be- tween corporate America and minority-owned business en- terprises.
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