BRADENTON, Fla. (WTHR) — A Florida businessman said he's taking a stand after feeling harassed by panhandlers every day when he drives through his neighborhood.
Ryan Bray told WFLA that every day homeless men and women can be seen standing at a particular intersection holding signs, often approaching cars in an aggressive way.
Bray said he was tired of it and wanted to take a stand. So one day, he rolled down his window and spoke to one of the men he frequently sees pandering and offered him $15 an hour to do yard work.
The man declined and seemed angry at the offer, according to Bray.
“They want money, they don’t want jobs. they don’t want to work,” he told WFLA. “They don’t want food. You can give them food. They don’t take it.”
Bray drove home and made a sign of his own. It read: “I offered him $15 an hour to do yard work for me and he refused. If we as a community stop paying them, they will leave our neighborhood.”
WFLA attempted to speak with the homeless man but reporters were met with "obscenities and anger."
A City Council Member told WFLA that unfortunately their hands are tied and city ordinance prohibits banning panhandling.
“We want it stopped as bad as the next person. We’ve got to get people to stop giving them money. We’ve talked about this quite a bit. We offer them food, a job, they don’t want it,” the councilman said.
