Some State Street panhandlers agree with recent recommendations by a mayoral committee to aggressively enforce panhandling laws already on the books.

The report’s recommendations include an education program geared toward students, whom they call the “largest contributors because they feel they are helping people less fortunate than they are.”

Panhandlers disagreed on whether students are truly the most generous givers.

One panhandler who wished to remain anonymous said he makes $2000 per year panhandling and a broad demographic gives him money, with most of his contributions coming from wealthy Madison residents.

“I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t do well at it,” he said.

Panhandler Todd Grigsby said students are his largest contributors, but he receives money from a wide variety of people.

Grigsby said he approved of the committee’s recommendations because he wants aggressive panhandling to stop, where panhandlers illegally block sidewalks or harass people for money. Current laws require that panhandlers stay 50 feet away from ATM machines and stay behind light posts in order to keep their distance from pedestrians.

“It gives a lot of us a bad rep, and people fear that,” Grigsby said. “I don’t want to have to give up my spot.”

He said he has the constitutional right to panhandle, and the perception that all panhandlers use the money they make for drugs and alcohol is a myth. He said he uses his money for hygiene products, food, bus fare and an occasional newspaper.

“There are a certain group of guys that use the money for alcohol, but everybody knows who they are,” Grigsby said. “I wish they would enforce [current laws] more and get rid of the chronic alcoholics.”

Enis Ragland, Mayor Sue Bauman’s chief of staff, said national research has shown that most panhandlers use the money they make for either drugs or alcohol. He said a UW graduate student’s study of panhandling indicated that most of the contributors to panhandlers were students. He also said large-scale education efforts directed at students need to begin, especially with new freshmen coming in every year.

Ragland said students should contact police if panhandlers harass them so that police can adequately enforce panhandling laws.

Madison Police Sgt. David Jugovich said the police force already sufficiently enforces panhandling laws.

“When we’re called to act, we do it,” Jugovich said.

Police issued 98 tickets in 2001 and 114 in 2002, with fines ranging from $10 to $200.

Grigsby said he has seen police ban some State Street panhandlers and give warnings to others. He said most panhandlers know the rules, and they clue newcomers in to Madison’s panhandling rules.

Ragland said the committee discussed banning all panhandling, but they knew there was “no political will” within city leadership to take such action and preferred to educate the public instead.

The committee also considered storing donation bins in business venues, but decided against it because of concerns that customers would skimp on tips in exchange for donations to the homeless.

He said the committee ran out of time before Bauman’s term ended to further study the issue but that Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, agreed to continue studying panhandling.