Readington to vote on 'un-American' ordinance targeting loiterers
READINGTON – The Township Committee will vote Monday on an ordinance, which one committeeman called "very Orwellian," to crack down on loiterers.
For several months township residents have posted on social media about panhandlers at the intersection of Hunterdon County Route 523 and Route 22 by the Kings Shopping Plaza.
A June 1 post about a woman panhandling at the intersection drew 62 comments before an administrator turned off commenting.
Like posts in the past months, some were critical of the panhandler. "Stop giving money! If it is no longer profitable, they will move on," one person wrote.
But some were empathetic. "She needs professional help," one wrote.
The ordinance, introduced by a 4-1 vote at the May 15 meeting, does not target panhandlers by definition, but it does prohibit people from approaching vehicles "in a manner that could be perceived by persons in the vehicle as frightening, threatening or aggressive."
The ordinance also prohibits walking along or a road or median "for time periods longer than what is reasonably necessary for the person to travel from their point of origin to their destination."
In addition, the ordinance prohibits walking among or between vehicles in traffic if the vehicle is moving or not.
Fines for violating the loitering law will not exceed $1,000, a jail term not to exceed 90 days and a period of community service not to exceed 90 days.
Township Committeeman Jonathan Heller, who cast the only vote against introducing the ordinance, said "it seems to be very Orwellian to me."
Heller gave the example of what happens when "grandpa" decides to take a walk and leans against a tree and a police officer drives up.
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The ordinance also drew opposition from a township resident on the social media post.
In the post, Tim Tedesco called the post "un-American."
"No matter how much we hate what someone else is doing, limiting one’s movements about public spaces while hurting no one is extremely dangerous to the American freedom we all hold so sacred," he wrote.
John Paff, chairman of the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project, wrote a letter to the Township Committee, expressing concerns about the constitutionality of the proposed ordinance.
Paff also said that the phrase "reasonably necessary" in the ordinance "could lead to biased enforcement."
Township Administrator Richard Sheola said the ordinance gives police "an extra tool in the toolbox."
He added that "discretion is the better part" of the ordinance.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Readington NJ to vote on 'un-American' ordinance targeting loiterers
