Unsafe, illegal act on our streets
Published 12:32 pm Thursday, October 1, 2015
It is sad to know that an elected official has so little regard for the safety of our firefighters and the codes and ordinances within their own jurisdiction they easily vacate those well intended laws in the name of a favorite charity or organization.
My discussion group ponders what the City reaction to otherwise private citizens partaking of similar street occupation activities would be.
If a “charitable” radical group that the Mayor Nancy Backus disapproved of took over the streets in the same manner, would the laws protecting pedestrians and motorists be ignored for them also? Would she offer police protection for the panhandlers while they intimidate vehicle occupants begging money?
The Auburn Municipal Code section 9.08.010 clearly describes aggressive begging. This code contains several elements that speak exactly to the illegality of current Fill the Boot activities. The code is intended to protect citizens, as pedestrians or as occupants of vehicles.
Ironically, the code in Auburn reads nearly identical to the Federal Way Revised Code that members of South King Fire & Rescue IAFF 2024 have tried unsuccessfully for years to overcome. (FWRC 6.35.030 by obstructing pedestrian or vehicular traffic or done in an aggressive manner as defined in the ordinance, which can be read in its entirety here.) Communications with the City of Federal Way attorney confirm that activities in the right-of-way are illegal.
Unless, of course, all Fill the Boot activities are done on private property. But apparently no attempt is being done to hold a safe, legal event.
However, I understand that on Oct. 9, firefighters will again be running around in the roadway at the intersection of 15th Street Southwest and The Outlet Collection Drive (off Highway 167) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., filling their boots with donations from motorists.
And while these firefighters are illegally aggressively begging in the streets, intimidating and coercing into submission or obedience, making reasonable persons fearful or feel compelled to give, once again established Auburn City Codes will be ignored.
I am pretty sure that while many motorists will be intimidated by the traffic, pedestrians running about the street and boots stuffed in their car windows, even if the police were called, not one person participating would be arrested, ticketed or otherwise subjected to “Violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or by a jail sentence of up to 90 days, or by both such fine and jail time.”
When you are planning on breaking the law, it is nice to have the top city official on your side.
– Jerry Galland
