My idea for curtailing public drunks and the mess they leave behind

[brainstormer]

So I've been thinking about this for some time now, and I think it is time to share my idea and gain some feedback.

I live in Springfield and am disgraced by our tolerance of public drunks.  I have never lived in a city where the community seems to embrace these folks and in fact caters to their needs.  Every block you find a crappy little "food store" that sells cans from the bucket of ice complete with a paper bag to wrap it up in.  Our community garden has become a favorite place to sit and drink, sometimes eat others' food, and then as usual leave the empty bottle and bag for someone else to pick up.  I try to keep the trash picked up around our building and every week, most of the litter is somehow related to beer or small bottles of crap liquor.  I also have drunks who get in self proclaimed yelling rages outside my window and of course those who just whip it out and piss wherever they feel like it.  I'm not kidding when I say a few weeks ago I turned the corner of our building after getting home from work to walk right into a guy just pissing on the wall, letting it all hang out for the world to see! (His brown paper bag was on the ground next to him.) So here is what I would like to see...

I would like a city ordinance that prohibits the sale of beer in less than a six pack as well as the sale of wine/liquor in bottles less than 250ml.  The ordinance would only pertain to stores, not bars and restaurants.

So here are some questions to think about.

Would this help prevent the panhandler who gets just enough to buy another can?
Could this be enacted only in specific zip codes?  My reasoning is that the problem seems to mostly be in the downtown and Springfield areas.  Is there precedence for this in other cities?
Does anyone know of laws in other places similar to this?
Would this really impede on regular citizens?  For example, I buy most liquor in 750ml and up as well as beer by the 6pack or case.
Would you amend this ordinance proposal in any way?
What would our drunks do to get around the ordinance?  Or would they leave 

I look forward to your thoughtful responses.

[Omarvelous09]

I guess this would be ok....except sometimes i like buying just a few beers, or a small thing if liquor. Maybe if they restricted sales during the week..but honestly jax is strict enough on Alcohol sales & consumption. Sucks that you have drunks at your door..where do you live in springfield?

[vicupstate]

Interesting idea.  I seem to remember this idea or something similiar, being considered for DT Columbia SC, which is where I lived at that time.   I don't know what ever came of the idea.  Most likely it was never enacted as law, but I think the DT Merchants group (DVI equivalent) did ask the stores to voluntarily comply.  

[Karl_Pilkington]

I dislike the refuse from these types as much as anyone, but I don't think that restricting the container one can buy will change things.  I personally like the idea of deposits.  When I was a kid I made money by going around and collecting cans, bottles etc. for the deposits.  Not sure when it was done away with but in other states I've been to with deposits there are very few plastic bottles, cans or that type of litter around because its actually got a value on it.  Here its like drink a can of beer and just pitch the aluminum can, one use poof its gone. I've even seen people throwing their empties down the sewer drains all around downtown.  What makes it worse is that a lot of these stab and grabs hand the single beer over with a PLASTIC bag, so the can and the bag goes down the sewer. I've got to believe that the can or bottle is worth more than the little amount of liquid its got in it.  This city is one of the filthiest I've ever lived in, not sure why other than apathy.  Put a value on these containers and watch them disappear from the streets.  Heck its a lot easier than handing them the .65 cents they're always short for bus fare!

[urbanlibertarian]

I live downtown and get litter on my property, some of which is beer cans.  Public urination is a crime already and if someone witnesses it they should call the police.  The alcohol sales restriction would punish the responsible drinkers along with the irresponsible ones and hurt retailers who are already hurting.  Let's  punish the bad actors only.

[triclops i]

Sounds like a good idea- unless you own the beer store. Why it does make sense, as a small business owner I would have concerns about regulating my ability to sell a legal product. Plus it aint gonna stop them- drunks are gonna get their juice, one way or another.

[brainstormer]

Great input so far.  I am all for small businesses and support the good ones as much as possible.  In my viewpoint, if your business can't make it without the panhandlers buying 1 can of beer at a time, then perhaps you need a new business model.  Maybe Springfield doesn't need a "food store" on every block.  On another thread someone posted that most of them are owned by the same company, not an individual.  I don't know if we could get them to voluntarily comply.

I agree with Karl about the container thing, but unfortunately, that is only a small part of the problem.  And what good is it to pick up the empty beer can, if the paper sack surrounding it goes back on the ground.

Public urination is a crime as well as probably public intoxication.  But rarely do the police do anything about it.  We kind of have bigger problems according to the Sheriff.  I would be curious how many people who drink responsibly actually buy beer 1 can at a time, or only buy liquor by the fifth.  I can only speak for myself, but I don't.

From many other posts on this site, everyone rants about the problems with the homeless and the panhandlers.  Obviously the status quo isn't working and is severely impacting our quality of life and preventing urban growth.  It is time to be bold and set a new standard.  Send a signal that we aren't going to be the winter vacation spot for every bum in the US!!!  What other ideas do you have for tackling this problem?

[urbanlibertarian]

Calling the police to report criminal behavior has an impact even if they don't respond.  The calls are logged and they use those stats to focus their activities in an area.  New laws meant to set a standard or send a message only affect people inclined to obey the law.
I can't prove it but I suspect that the bad actors are a small minority of the people buying single beers, the majority being the working low income folks.  Buying one beer at a time isn't a problem.  Public intoxication and urination is the problem.  Let's go after that.

[CMG22]

How 'bout we just get Rutherford to hire Lorena Bobbitt?