Ban On Feeding the Hungry On Public Property Challenged

In West Palm Beach, Florida, two non-profit groups have sued to challenge the city's three-month old ordinance that bans their feeding of the hungry on public property at two locations in the city. Yesterday's Palm Beach Post reports that plaintiffs claim the ordinance is vague and overbroad. One of the plaintiffs, "Art and Compassion" is a religious group that says feeding the poor is part of their religious obligation to God. Referring to a recent grand jury report that found West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel had created a "pay to play" environment in which developers felt pressure to contribute to city organizations and the mayor's campaign, plaintiffs in this law suit charge that a "pay to pray" system has been created. The lawsuit alleges: "Those who can pay for a building or pay money for the mayor's special projects or charities are granted the permission to pray and practice their religion as they see fit, but those who lack the funds to own a building. . . are told to go inside another's church in order to carry out their sacred duties outside the public view."