BRATTLEBORO — “Some locals claim that individuals are collecting from $250 to $400 or more per person per day.” Wow! Where do I sign up?
Homelessness isn't necessarily a result of drug-and-alcohol-induced behaviors. A sober friend recently became homeless when his landlord sold the house. He couldn't find a suitable accommodation in Brattleboro and was living in his car. He's now working and living in Lebanon, N.H.
The opioid epidemic could be ended overnight simply by legalizing these drugs. This strategy has never failed wherever it has been tried. However, its very illegality results in enormous profits for those well-positioned.
Bennington had an ordinance banning panhandling - “Improper Use of Public Way and Abatement of Public Nuisances” - that dealt with “aggressive manner” and soliciting. They repealed it last September.