Tulsa’s panhandling debate: Two councilors, two perspectives
Description
On Wednesday, Tulsa’s City Council is set to vote on an ordinance that would limit what Tulsans can do on sidewalks and medians. The proposed ordinance comes after two incidents, one in 2023, and one in 2024, where two separate people were killed while standing in center medians.
Councilor Phil Lakin, who spoke to The Frontier on Monday about the ordinance, said it was about public safety. Many medians in Tulsa are narrow, and in zones where the speed limit is above 25 miles per hour, he believes standing in the median is a safety hazard. The ordinance would also potentially apply to sidewalks that are within 18 inches of the street as well.
But when it comes to enforcement, some, including City Councilor Laura Bellis, fear the ordinance will only be applied to those panhandling, and she fears fines associated with the ordinance could prove too costly.
On this episode of Listen Frontier, we hear from Bellis, Lakin, and Deputy Council Administrator Sarah Davis ahead of Wednesday’s meeting.
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