'Don't Give Them Money': Larimer County Sheriff Says Helping Panhandlers Discourages Them From Rejoining Workforce
LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -- Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith is urging people not to give money to panhandlers, saying it discourages them from rejoining the workforce. The sheriff posted his plea on Facebook on Saturday, with a picture of two panhandlers.
"Have you noticed recently- every time you walk out of a business plastered with HIRING and HELP WANTED signs- you are confronted with these folks?" Sheriff Smith wrote.
"Every time you hand money to one of these panhandlers, you are incentivizing them not to work- just like the state is doing when they pay people more to sit home," the sheriff wrote.
Last month, more than 100 business owners in northern Colorado sent a letter to Gov. Jared Polis asking him to end the enhanced unemployment benefit of $300 a week, claiming it has led to a severe shortage of workers.
Nationwide, employers posted 10.1 million openings in June, the U.S. Labor Department reported Monday. That's the highest level recorded in the two decades it has tracked the data, CBS News reported.
In his post, Sheriff Smith said incentivizing people to get back into the workforce is the solution to the "shortages in production, the broken supply chains and the punitive inflation we are seeing."
The sheriff made a plea to the public, urging people to reward people who are working to help themselves instead.
"Please don't give [panhandlers] money. If you are feeling generous… or guilty- instead, park your car, walk back into the store and hand that $5 to someone who is actually working and struggling to get by," Sheriff Smith wrote. "That gesture will be appreciated and will help someone who is already working to help themselves."
The sheriff's post had more than 2,700 comments by Monday morning.
