I wholeheartedly agree with Augusta police Chief Bob Gregoire (April 26) about not giving money to panhandlers. I agree that we should make monetary donations to the agencies that assist people in times of need. If panhandlers are truly in need, they can seek assistance at these agencies.
Think about it, if only the first or second vehicle stopped at an intersection or traffic signal gave $1 to a panhandler, within a few hours this person would get hundreds of tax-free dollars, which is much more than most of us earn working an eight-hour day.
I recently spent a lot of time traveling through Portland, which has a lot of panhandlers, and it dawned on me that these people can make a lot of money. So I have stopped giving to them. If they truly are in need of assistance, then they should go through proper channels like others.
Cindy YorkVassalboro
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