It's Time to Amend and Enforce the Solicitor Ordinance

It appears that public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Mercer Island has been at risk due to the non-enforcement of City Ordinance 5.16.010 regulating solicitors.

Ordinance 5.16.010 is still active; it is just not being enforced. This non-enforcement is troubling since the purpose of the ordinance is “…to provide for the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the city.”  A note on the city website that attempts to clarify the status of the ordinance states “Mercer Island’s ability to regulate solicitors has been limited by court decisions during the last few years.” However, this statement is ambiguous and the lack of specifics result in complete non-enforcement of the ordinance. There is no indication of which parts of the ordinance a citizen, solicitor or Police Officer can expect to be enforced or not enforced so the entire ordinance is not enforced.

The note further states that amendments would be proposed in 2007. The non-enforcement of the ordinance, ambiguity of the note along with the amendment that never came, compromises the safety, health and welfare of the citizens and leaves the city liable for any effects of the non-enforcement of the ordinance.

After 13 years I believe it is time to immediately make the amendments to the ordinance and resolve this issue once and for all.