I go to school at Georgia State University, in the heart of downtown Atlanta. Do you know what else is in the heart of downtown? I'll tell you, panhandlers. If you don't know what a panhandler is let me define it for you: The Atlanta ordinance defines "commercial solicitation" (panhandling) as "any request made by a person on a street, sidewalk, or public place, without a permit, asking for an immediate donation of money or other thing of value, under circumstances where a reasonable person would understand the purchase is a donation"
So that includes, homeless, hustlers, firemen, deaf mutes, and what I've recently noticed, religious organizations and friends of criminals who need money for lawyers. Living in Atlanta means that you are sure to see some odd things. Unfortunately, it also means that more than three times a day you will be approached by a panhandler of some sort. Yesterday, I went downtown for a final, there was a guy where I park my car, one on the way to my classroom, there were two for a religious cause at the first red light off the interstate to my house, and one straggler in clean Nikes off the exit to work. The recent horde of panhandlers has made me ask myself the question, "Why do they get money and not have the consequence of taxes, like those of us giving them the money?"
My solution to this problem can be solved two ways. One, don't give them any money, which is usually what I do. I shake my head and hand so much that I'm getting fatigued. Or two, tax them. Next time I feel compelled to give someone money, (I have my days), I am going to charge a 15% tax. I can see it already:

"Excuse me miss can I have some change?"
"Well, all I have is this crisp dollar bill. At 15% tax that totals .85 cents for you. I'll need you to give me .15 cents for this dollar."

I wonder if they'll take it. At least we get the stimulus check, though, that's probably why there is a sudden mob of them. We taxpayers can't win for losing!