scavenging outlawed in Milwaukee FWD
Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Wed, 14 Jan 1998 08:22:28 -0800 (PST)
MILWAUKEE: SCAVENGING OUTLAWED
COMMON COUNCIL EXTENDS BAN ON SCAVENGING TRASH, RECYCLABLES fwd
By Mike Nichols of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff (January 3, 1998)
A 2-year-old ordinance banning scavengers from plucking trash out of
recycling and trash containers has been extended indefinitely by the
Common Council.
The original ordinance, passed in 1995, had a "sunset provision" that
forced the council to take another vote, reaffirming its position.
Eleven members of the council voted in favor of the extension: Marvin
Pratt, John Kalwitz, Wayne Frank, Don Richards, George Butler,
Annette Scherbert, James Witkowiak, Jeffrey Pawlinski, Suzanne
Breier, Michael Murphy and Willie Hines.
Michael D'Amato, Paul Henningsen, Marlene Johnson-Odom and Fred
Gordon voted in opposition to the extension. Daniel Schramm and
Thomas Nardelli were absent.
Mayor John Norquist neither signed nor vetoed the extension of the
ordinance, a maneuver that allowed it to become law.
Because recyclables can have value, scavenging has been cited as a
large problem in some American cities. Locally, Kalwitz has argued
the ordinance is necessary to keep individuals from using scavenging
as an excuse for trespassing on private property.
Others say the ordinance is overkill, making it harder for the poor
and homeless to survive.
"The police have not been overzealous and have really only enforced
it on complaint," Kalwitz said.
He added that the ordinance is "not an effort to trip up individuals
scavenging as a way of raising income to stay afloat."
The penalty is between $25 and $500 for each offense.
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