City Council Defers Anti-Peddling Ordinance

CENTRAL — Councilman Wayne Messina Tuesday asked the Central City Council to defer a proposed “anti-peddling” ordinance he had proposed.  The proposal would have imposed more regulations on house-to-house solicitation by salesmen.
However, it ran into objections because of provisions in the ordinance which would have required political candidates and their supporters to meet a number of regulations before they could canvass for votes in residential neighborhoods.
Opponents said the ordinance would violate the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees.
Under the ordinance as introduced, a candidate or supporter would have to go to City Hall, fill out a registration form, submit a photograph, and pay a $5 fee prior to campaigning.  When the debate  began, Messina deleted the requirements of submitting a photo and paying a fee.  However, the proposal continued to include the registration requirement.  The four other members of the Council expressed reservations about the proposal.