Lockout Casualty Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Higher fines could hit Vancouver's homeless hard by CARLITO PABLO on JAN 9, 2013 at 3:49 PM VIOLATING CITY OF Vancouver bylaws by sleeping on the streets or doing illegal vending may become a lot more costly. Staff are recommending a 400-percent increase in maximum fines, from the current amount of $2,000 to a stiff $10,000. The proposed hike covers 42 bylaws. It is subject to a public hearing on Tuesday (January 15). While councillors are required to remain neutral on matters being taken up at public hearings, Vision Vancouver councillor Geoff Meggs agreed to explain the context in which this measure is being deliberated. According to Meggs, the increase brings the city’s fines in line with changes made to the Vancouver Charter in 2009. Meggs also noted that, based on a report prepared by staff, profits made by those who violate bylaws far exceed in many cases the fines the city levies. These infractions include illegal parking and advertising on the sides of buildings. “The staff argument is simply that there is no deterrent,” Meggs told the Straight by phone. Non-Partisan Association councillor George Affleck is interested to see who will show up to speak at the public hearing. He noted in a phone interview with the Straight that the increase is a “significant jump”. The bylaws covered by the suggested fine increase are grouped into three categories: operation and management of businesses; building safety, land use and development, and property maintenance; and use of public spaces and conduct of individuals. Two of these bylaws are being challenged in court by Pivot Legal Society on behalf of a homeless man who was ticketed by police and engineering staff several times. “Obviously $10,000 is quite severe and impossible to pay for a homeless person, and so is $2,000,” Pivot lawyer Scott Bernstein told the Straight by phone. “It sucks that much more, but it’s still something that they won’t be able to pay.” Jean Swanson, a long-time antipoverty activist in the Downtown Eastside, said that it’s “horrible” that poor street vendors are being ticketed. “So to give them higher tickets is very punitive,” Swanson told the Straight in a phone interview. Civic watchdog Randy Helten suggested that the proposed increase seems a bit arbitrary. The founder of City Hall Watch told the Straight by phone, “Staff should present comparative information about what the fines are in other leading municipalities in Canada, and provide an adequate basis for that number.” http://www.straight.com/news/341356/higher-fines-could-hit-vancouvers-homeless-hard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapefruits Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Well that should help get them off the streets... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heretic Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Yep...go after those just trying to survive...brilliant.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schlaBAM Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 And how are they expecting the majority of them to pay the fines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortorella's Rant Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 And how are they expecting the majority of them to pay the fines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmonberries Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 What happens to these people if they can't pay the fine? Three hots and a cot? That's a powerful deterrent right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearloch7 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 What happened here? .. someone in Kits complain about the ambiance? .. pity .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:D Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Glad you all read the title, but this is a broad stroke that hits a couple dozen bylaws. Some, I'm sure, you wouldn't be as up in arms about defending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks since 77 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Bahahahhahahah. IQ tests for Van council members are in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearloch7 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Bahahahhahahah. IQ tests for Van council members are in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Send em to Chilliwack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuck_trevor16 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Low income people cannot even afford $100 how you proposal they play 10,000$$$ Who idea is this? and what the hell is there a fine for sleeping on the street, seem to be just profit for the city Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthecivil Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 The whole point of being homeless is you don't pay for stuff period. The fine could be ten cents or a million doesn't matter. Heck, give a homeless guy a palate of clean drinking water so that he can be healthier and he will walk around the corner, dump it all out, take the bottles to the depot, and go buy himself a bottle of booze. If you take away their ability to vend they will just steal instead. What are you going to do, threaten them with jail? Heck, if I was homeless when fall came around I would go on a crime spree and if I spent the winter in jail big deal. If you don't get caught you got all kinds of money to make it through. Win win. Applying normal rules to abnormal people does nothing. Well, maybe something, but often not what you hoped, and just as often something even worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derr12 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Yeah, try mailing a fine to someone who doesnt have an address. Im thinking City counsel may be on the same drugs as some of those ppl on hastings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Money Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 You can't get blood from a stone. Setting an arbitrary 1-pint target won't change this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks since 77 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 The whole point of being homeless is you don't pay for stuff period. The fine could be ten cents or a million doesn't matter. Heck, give a homeless guy a palate of clean drinking water so that he can be healthier and he will walk around the corner, dump it all out, take the bottles to the depot, and go buy himself a bottle of booze. If you take away their ability to vend they will just steal instead. What are you going to do, threaten them with jail? Heck, if I was homeless when fall came around I would go on a crime spree and if I spent the winter in jail big deal. If you don't get caught you got all kinds of money to make it through. Win win. Applying normal rules to abnormal people does nothing. Well, maybe something, but often not what you hoped, and just as often something even worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthecivil Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I'm sorry but your post leads one to believe that homeless people prefer their present existence over a secure comfortable existence. I do not believe this is the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blame Obama Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 please support your local homeless people! they have bills to pay now. throw all your empties on the streets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertuzzi Babe Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 What are you going to do, threaten them with jail? Heck, if I was homeless when fall came around I would go on a crime spree and if I spent the winter in jail big deal. If you don't get caught you got all kinds of money to make it through. Win win. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANGO Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 hahaha......Yeah, and when they cant pay, we'll charge them really high interest rates. That will teach them. typical upper crust thinking. These people are so out of touch. Obviously, they have never seen a homeless person in their natural state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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