The Pensacola City Council will consider this evening whether to put the dropping of its two at-large seats before voters and continue discussing a trio of proposed ordinances that prohibit activities such as sleeping in public and using public restrooms for bathing.
This will be the second reading of a proposed charter amendment that would phase out, as terms expire, the council’s At-Large A and At-Large B seats. These seats are elected by and serve the entire city as opposed to a single district.
Councilman Larry B. Johnson suggested cutting the seats, citing cost-savings and efficiency. Just over half the council is on board.
Other council members—including Megan Pratt and Charles Bare, both at-large members, and Gerald Wingate and Vice President Jewel Cannada-Wynn, both African-American members — have raised concerns over dropping the seats. They have questioned the impact of decreasing the size of the city’s legislative body and the reasoning behind such a push.
Members of the black community have also raised objections to dropping the seats. They are concerned about the impact it would have on minority representation. Meanwhile, Proponents on the council have suggested the cut would increase minority representation.
Council is divided 5-4 on dropping the at-large seats. If that vote line holds this evening, the charter amendment will be placed on the June 11 special election ballot, which has been scheduled to fill the Florida House of Representatives District 2 seat left vacant by the late Rep. Clay Ford.
The proposed ordinances before the council—which the city administration has said do not target the area’s homeless population—will receive their first readings tonight. If council’s 6-3 divide holds, the ordinances will be on track for a second reading and implementation.
The first ordinance would prohibit “camping,” defined as sleeping in public in a tent, on a bedroll, or covered with newspapers and cardboard. The second ordinance would prohibit using a public restroom for activities such as washing, shaving or mixing beverages. The third ordinance—which has unanimous support on the council—focuses on public urination and defecation.
The third ordinance previously contained language addressing “aggressive solicitation, begging or panhandling.” However, the council split that portion off for later consideration because the third proposed ordinance was a late agenda add-on.
The city administration proposed similar ordinances in late 2011. That effort failed as a group of homeless advocates, religious organizations, and individuals associated with Occupy Pensacola vocally opposed the measures. They contended—and contend again now—that such ordinances would essentially criminalize homelessness.
Pensacola City Council meets today at 5:30 p.m. at Pensacola City Hall.
