Shreveport/Bossier Should Copy Dallas On This Issue

According to The Dallas Observer, The Dallas City Council's Public Safety Committee has created a way to combat 'quality of life issues — panhandling on the city's streets'.

"Allan Sims, Dallas' Neighborhoods Plus czar, proposed that the city use some of the $100,000 to pay panhandlers $10.37 an hour to do 4 to 6 hours manual labor around town," Stephen Young wrote in The Dallas Observer.

This would be a huge opportunity to help Shreveport/Bossier City in such an amazing way. According to Suntopia, there are 13 homeless shelters in Shreveport alone. Imagine all of the lives that could benefit from this.

A similar program is already in motion in New Mexico called "There's A Better Way". A van comes around 4 times a week in high traffic panhandling areas to offer a job with the solid waste department. It is a choice. No one is forced to participate. There is no schedule or a a guarantee that it will arrive in specific locations. According to The Dallas Observer, 434 people who have participated have landed solid permanent jobs.

Dallas is said to start this program next summer, and I believe Shreveport/ Bossier should consider a similar program.