As a Belltown resident at First and Virginia I support the pending Aggressive Panhandling Ordinance. http://www.seattle.gov/council/burgess/attachments/2010st_disorder_leg_aggressive_solicit.pdf.
In reading the statue I see described the precise behaviors that I have observed, my spouse and co-workers from the Terminal Sales Building have observed, and that need to stop.
This does NOT include folks standing with signs at corners, this does NOT include folks performing with a container out. This absolutely does NOT include Real Change vendors who in my experience are universally respectful (with few exceptions, and the one I know who snarls also stays put.) I am specifically concerned about the people who are authoritatively intervening with folks who are parking or trying to pay for parking – at some level impersonating parking attendants. I am specifically concerned about people who don’t take no for an answer but follow folks like my brother-in-law the length of a block continuing to aggressively shout, call him names and demand more of a response.
I consider myself a social justice supporter and I am definitely wary of moves to sweep the poor out of view without addressing the larger social issues that bring them to our streets – but to me this is different: the folks who are hustling my would-be neighbors at payboxes are organized. After long thought I have concluded that it is reasonable to say that I am supportive of another person’s right to linger and ask me for money only to the extent that they are supportive of my right to pass by and say no. This is no longer the current situation downtown and it’s irrational and unacceptable to allow continued deterioration. I believe this legislation appropriately distinguishes aggressive solicitation and will help.
Shaulablog 
I had an experience last weekend that leads me to the same conclusion. My mother and I parked in a parking lot on 1st and Blanchard, and headed to the parking meter to pay up. A woman approached us as I got out my wallet and asked loudly for money “for children”. We didn’t answer her and she moved on. Okay, that’s good.
As i stood in front of the meter a man approached and told me that I was using the wrong meter and the one that worked was on the other side of the lot. I was grateful for the steer, but also wary of the scam I figured was coming. When I got to the correct meter he pointed out that there was already a valid ticket in the slot and that I should take it. I declined and went ahead with buying my parking ticket, over his comments that there was a free one there and I should take it. As I left with my ticket he told me that he accepted tips.
When we returned to the car and were preparing to leave the scam revealed itself. Another man came up and asked for our ticket, which he promptly tried to sell to someone else who was parking.
And in between, we got accosted by a third man as we crossed the street to the restaurant. So all in, 3 accostings on the way to dinner and one on the way home. This doesn’t make me want to go back to Belltown for dinner, and since I bet I’m not the only one, this means that businesses there are suffering, at least somewhat.
So, I too support the panhandling legislation.