Years ago I once lived near the city of Hemet in Riverside county and the city had planted dozens of orange trees to line the sidewalks, at taxpayer expense I might add. At first people would often collect the fruit as they were passing by. But after a while the city decided to pass a law banning the picking of the fruit on the threat of a fine. After the law passed I recall seeing smashed and rotting oranges all over the sidewalks. But I guess it is more important for the government to assert it’s authority and keep people from eating free food then it is to keep the city clean.

If the food is not being served for profit and people are not regularly getting ill from the food that is being served then the government should keeps it’s hand off.

T. Rios