I oppose this ordinance and believe the original warning system should remain in place. We should not be using law enforcement and wasting tax dollars on non-violent misdemeanors. This ordinance is discriminatory.
Pedestrians should have the right of way. Jaywalking only became frowned upon when car companies pushed propaganda to remove people who don't directly fund them from the roads.
I oppose this because we don't need to ramp up criminalization of walking. The city is already more car-centric than it should be. The focus should be on making it easier for pedestrians to make safe crossings, not penalizing them for the way they navigate spaces that don't prioritize their needs.
This agenda item is unnecessary, we don't need more out searching for jaywalking, we don't need more people getting marks on their record for just trying to get around, if anything we need more safety, like more crosswalks in these common areas, please reconsider.
I oppose this ordinance change. Our police department is spread thin as it is, we don’t need to add more things onto their plate. What does our city gain from policing pedestrians? Furthermore changing the law will not deter people from jaywalking, as most people will not be aware of this change. The idea that this will make streets safer is false. Please oppose this ordinance to police pedestrians.
When did it become illegal to use your legs and walk? Why is there an amendment to prioritize private property over human life? What is being done by the city to get people the public transportation they need so that they don't have to be walking at the wrong time? That's all jaywalking is, and we already know from Phoenix PD's scarred history that this will simply be an easier avenue to harass and arrest people who the city refuses to help and who the city considers an inconvenience to profit.
Escalating infractions to misdemeanors only hurts residents trying to use our parks. When will we have access to the parks and services we pay for without be surveilled, hounded and harassed? It sounds like Phoenix wants to be an HOA instead of serving their residents. If we cared about safety we would be giving homeless people a place to go instead of forcing them from the zone into other areas. Giving people higher criminal penalties when they have no other option is a catch 22.
I oppose this ordinance and believe the warning system already in place should remain so. Removing warnings would just give law enforcement another way to unjustly target people.
Removing warnings and escalating to misdemeanors criminalizes poverty, not safety. Tickets and criminal records make it harder to get jobs and housing, especially for people who walk or use transit. This policy targets low-income and unhoused residents instead of fixing unsafe streets and adding crossings. Why make it harder for people to survive?
If the city were truly concerned with people’s safety they would provide better infrastructure for pedestrians (crosswalks, lights etc.). Allowing people to be ticketed without any warnings does nothing to prevent the actually problem. It allows the police to disproportionately target lower income people in our community who may not have access to a car.
Can the city stop frickin' bullying the homeless and actually provide meaningful services that are humane and without garbage 'strings-attached' requirements? I would rather my tax dollars be spent on treating the unfortunate with dignity and respect while assisting in regaining independence in self-sufficiency. People fall on hard times and I am okay with bailing out people that need dignified housing that are NOT FREE LABOR CAMPS.
I strongly oppose this. Removing the requirement to provide a warning opens the door to further discriminatory enforcement. Many people are forced to cross in areas where the City has not provided safe or accessible crossings, and the lack of pedestrian infrastructure leaves them with few alternatives. The City should make streets safer by building more crosswalks and installing leading pedestrian intervals instead of prioritizing fast traffic over human lives in some parts of the city.
Removing the requirement to give a warning before issuing a citation in this kind of situation only makes it easier to criminalize poverty by disproportionately targeting poor and unhoused people. If the city truly wants safer roads, it should install more crosswalks and invest in better public transportation instead.
Jaywalking is a discriminatory method to allow police to harass people for just crossing a street. The city should make its streets safer by installing more crosswalks if it is truly concerned about safety.
Keep roadways and medians safe by discouraging uses for which they were never intended.
I oppose this ordinance and believe the original warning system should remain in place. We should not be using law enforcement and wasting tax dollars on non-violent misdemeanors. This ordinance is discriminatory.
This would make phoenix less pedestrian accessible than it already is.
Pedestrians should have the right of way. Jaywalking only became frowned upon when car companies pushed propaganda to remove people who don't directly fund them from the roads.
I oppose this because we don't need to ramp up criminalization of walking. The city is already more car-centric than it should be. The focus should be on making it easier for pedestrians to make safe crossings, not penalizing them for the way they navigate spaces that don't prioritize their needs.
I oppose this! Unnecessary criminalization just for people existing.
This agenda item is unnecessary, we don't need more out searching for jaywalking, we don't need more people getting marks on their record for just trying to get around, if anything we need more safety, like more crosswalks in these common areas, please reconsider.
I oppose this ordinance change. Our police department is spread thin as it is, we don’t need to add more things onto their plate. What does our city gain from policing pedestrians? Furthermore changing the law will not deter people from jaywalking, as most people will not be aware of this change. The idea that this will make streets safer is false. Please oppose this ordinance to police pedestrians.
When did it become illegal to use your legs and walk? Why is there an amendment to prioritize private property over human life? What is being done by the city to get people the public transportation they need so that they don't have to be walking at the wrong time? That's all jaywalking is, and we already know from Phoenix PD's scarred history that this will simply be an easier avenue to harass and arrest people who the city refuses to help and who the city considers an inconvenience to profit.
Escalating infractions to misdemeanors only hurts residents trying to use our parks. When will we have access to the parks and services we pay for without be surveilled, hounded and harassed? It sounds like Phoenix wants to be an HOA instead of serving their residents. If we cared about safety we would be giving homeless people a place to go instead of forcing them from the zone into other areas. Giving people higher criminal penalties when they have no other option is a catch 22.
I oppose this ordinance and believe the warning system already in place should remain so. Removing warnings would just give law enforcement another way to unjustly target people.
Removing warnings and escalating to misdemeanors criminalizes poverty, not safety. Tickets and criminal records make it harder to get jobs and housing, especially for people who walk or use transit. This policy targets low-income and unhoused residents instead of fixing unsafe streets and adding crossings. Why make it harder for people to survive?
If the city were truly concerned with people’s safety they would provide better infrastructure for pedestrians (crosswalks, lights etc.). Allowing people to be ticketed without any warnings does nothing to prevent the actually problem. It allows the police to disproportionately target lower income people in our community who may not have access to a car.
more signage and campaigns to stop jaywalking are needed.
Can the city stop frickin' bullying the homeless and actually provide meaningful services that are humane and without garbage 'strings-attached' requirements? I would rather my tax dollars be spent on treating the unfortunate with dignity and respect while assisting in regaining independence in self-sufficiency. People fall on hard times and I am okay with bailing out people that need dignified housing that are NOT FREE LABOR CAMPS.
I strongly oppose this. Removing the requirement to provide a warning opens the door to further discriminatory enforcement. Many people are forced to cross in areas where the City has not provided safe or accessible crossings, and the lack of pedestrian infrastructure leaves them with few alternatives. The City should make streets safer by building more crosswalks and installing leading pedestrian intervals instead of prioritizing fast traffic over human lives in some parts of the city.
Removing the requirement to give a warning before issuing a citation in this kind of situation only makes it easier to criminalize poverty by disproportionately targeting poor and unhoused people. If the city truly wants safer roads, it should install more crosswalks and invest in better public transportation instead.
Jaywalking is a discriminatory method to allow police to harass people for just crossing a street. The city should make its streets safer by installing more crosswalks if it is truly concerned about safety.