Scott Wong
Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio has heard the complaints: His neighbors and other constituents are tired of those frequent knocks on the door by those hawking magazine subscriptions and cleaning supplies, or seeking donations for dubious charities.
And they're worried that the increasing frequency of those knocks is leading to more burglaries and other neighborhood crimes.
In response, DiCiccio has proposed an ordinance that would regulate door-to-door solicitation across the city, requiring people to obtain a permit they must carry with them while rapping on doors.
The ordinance, which must be approved by the council, could also restrict what hours of the day solicitors can visit homes.
"What we're finding more and more in our conversations with the police department is that these people knocking on your door are not the Fuller Brush people of 20 years ago," DiCiccio said. "These are individuals that are scoping out your home. They are looking at your neighborhood."
Scottsdale already restricts solicitation, but no regulations currently exist for solicitors operating in Phoenix.
DiCiccio, in his first initiative since the council appointed him to the District 6 seat last month, has asked the chair of the city's public-safety committee, Councilman Claude Mattox, to take up the proposed ordinance during his next meeting in April.
DiCiccio specifically wants to create a task force comprised of stakeholders that can work out the details of the ordinance. His office has already met with Girl Scouts, churches, school officials and local police, all of whom are on board with the plan.
The councilman said the ordinance is in no way designed to limit free speech or negatively impact nonprofits and other groups that legitimately use solicitation as a fundraising or advertising tool.
"It's very clear that this is not geared toward any of those groups at all," DiCiccio said.
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