Subscriber Comments for
Whatever Happened to Flower Power?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 318116P	2012-09-09 09:15 PM
Business expense?
COMMENT 318119P	2012-09-09 09:19 PM
They don't bother me. I gave an umbrella to one once. I miss the elote carts.
D8VANILLA	2012-09-09 09:43 PM
Except they hurt local businesses. And, they probably are NOT declaring the income either, or getting permits to operate a business. There are a lot of street vendors on the Westside, with their food carts, selling shaved ice, corn, chips, pork rinds etc. And, do they even wash their hands before or after touching that food or the food-wrappers, which touch the food, after collecting money??? Remember when Taco Bell got shut down because the people at the register, handling money, would go prepare the food??
COMMENT 318130P	2012-09-09 09:52 PM
These "vendors" and their wares have no permits, no health inspections, how in the world can anyone consider them "harmless". Why should other businesses pay fees, comply with permits, health inspectors etc yet these guys somehow are above all that?
COMMENT 318132P	2012-09-09 10:00 PM
Shouldn't this be labeled Op-Ed instead of Citizen News?
REXOFSB	2012-09-10 12:18 AM
Looks like he's parked in a handicapped space.
COMMENT 318149	2012-09-10 06:18 AM
Poor guy. He's just trying to make a living and ran afoul of the legal requirements for doing business. I don't think the SBSO is typically interested in cases like this unless a nosy citizen who happens not to like Mexicans/illegal aliesn called in the complaint. Hurting local businesses? I don't think so, at least not the way Walmart does. This guy is competing with grocery stores and their mark ups are such I wouldn't buy flowers from those thieves unless I was desperate but I would from this guy.
COMMENT 318164	2012-09-10 07:06 AM
under replublican leadership government would not regulate business and this type of free enterprise would flourish. Less taxes, means more money to spend on flowers and more small businesses popping up here and there.
COMMENT 318173	2012-09-10 07:17 AM
Nope,...finally getting around to doing their jobs. Next would be phoning ICE for a hot one.
COMMENT 318177	2012-09-10 07:32 AM
If we cut off desperate people from selling on the street, what is their next step? Possibly making money illegally? That should be a whole lot more work for the Sheriff's office. I would never buy food from a street vendor but for those of you that are willing to do it, I'm supportive of you.
COMMENT 318178	2012-09-10 07:32 AM
Hmm - Interesting racial references here - What I do find interesting is that this is a person selling something which in some ways he is WORKING - There is whole other community of individuals who are posted at the entrances of some of ours shopping centers - They are BEGGARS! Clearly not making ANY effort to work. I have seen young and old doing this - All very capable of at least offering to clean a windshield, mow a lawn, carry your groceries to your car.. Some kind of effort - Just an observation.
COMMENT 318181	2012-09-10 07:33 AM
People like 149 are the reason our State is in such a mess... allowing millions of people to supersede the laws, millions to ignore the law and millions to undermine years of hard work by Americans to assure a level playing field... that's what has destroyed our economic base. It starts with flowers and works it way up the chain. We have completely decimated the trades in the country due to thinking like 149's. Carpenters, roofers, flooring contractors, landscape, etc. etc. etc.... all of the trades have been undermined by the influx of cheap and unlicensed people. What used to be solid middle class jobs are now low paying...
COMMENT 318187	2012-09-10 07:47 AM
@181 You're right that those hard-working tradespeople--carpenters, plumbers, bricklayers, etc...--have had their lives destroyed. But it wasn't done by poor people trying to get work. Those hard-working people's lives were destroyed by the rich people at places like Goldman Sachs who ruined our economy, by the "investment professionals" who spend their summers in Montecito, and by the wealthy speculators who profited from the misery of others.
COMMENT 318192	2012-09-10 07:55 AM
Unfortunately safety is a real concern with these vendors. He looks like the guy who was selling flowers while standing in the bike lane where Cliff goes down to Las Positas. There he was, 50 yards up from the stop sign, Hope bound traffic passing on one side, and Las Positas bound traffic whizzing by on the other. What happens when cars are in both lanes and bikes descend I can only imagine. Also, get a City Biz License like I have to. "If this Poor guy" wants to play, he needs to step up to the level of our playing field not undermine it.
COMMENT 318195P	2012-09-10 07:59 AM
192: Step up to the level of our playing field? Whose level are we talking about here....?
COMMENT 318198	2012-09-10 08:05 AM
The authorities time would be better spent out finding real criminals - not busting a guy for selling flowers.
COMMENT 318201	2012-09-10 08:11 AM
@D8Vanilla. Finally! Finally someone else sees this, too. Those ladies are ...eww. They are hand-filling sandwich baggies with potato chips. The kids at Kids World then sit and eat instead of playing and running/climbing and burning some of those calories. We don't need to pack a snack every time we leave the house. If the tax code was different and was based on person-hood instead of income then others wouldn't be so concerned about people making a buck on the skinny. I wouldn't care if people would be making money "under the table" as under the table would no longer matter. Everyone pays something. Everyone.
COMMENT 318208	2012-09-10 08:22 AM
Thank you for the picture and the comment - yes, it must have been a slow crime day in SB. The taller one looks like the same "cop" who wouldn't listen to the truth and had my car towed unnecessarily. Once again, wasting taxpayer $ harassing harmless flower-sellers. Gee Vanilla, your true colors are showing too.
COMMENT 318213	2012-09-10 08:32 AM
Looks like sbso is doing their fine work again for tax payers.....under appreciated under paid and now because of poor money mgmt certain politicians are trying to take away and or reduce retirement benefits. If you don't like cops and lack the gratitude for the horrible job they perform to keep us safe because people can't obey the laws then get educated.
COMMENT 318218	2012-09-10 08:43 AM
give it a rest 208. you said chp towed yr car. however, in a town where the derelicts can treat the city like an open sewer, and beg for money to get the next bottle of night train, and where yoaches can squat in front of the habit and harass the citizens......why would the sbso waste their time on a flower vendor. the flower vendors, shave ice, fruit stands, etc dont affect the whole foods of the world. believdat. leave them be. 156....x3
COMMENT 318219P	2012-09-10 08:44 AM
Looks like a Goleta police car and the spot looks like the corner of Hollister and Patterson, catty-corner from GVCH. I see flower vendors there all the time. Doesn't bother me.
FLICKA	2012-09-10 08:58 AM
218 got it right on the car towing!! A few years ago the police took a vendor's cascarones during Fiesta and threw them in the garbage can. A stop was put to that nonsense. Maybe stop the food vendors if they don't have a liscense & meet Health Dept. standards. But flowers??
COMMENT 318178	2012-09-10 09:05 AM
Just curious - What about Lemonade Stands? I have seen a few in the Montecito area - I know it sounds like a silly question but would like to know -
COMMENT 318232	2012-09-10 09:06 AM
Shame on GPD... These guys are the perfect competition for Gelson's and Whole Foods, all of whom sell overpriced, poor quality flowers. These bottom wrung vendors usually offer great prices and quality flowers. Ever had shaved ice for a $1 from Whole Foods? So much for the free markets of America. GPD protecting the interests of the 1%, again!
COMMENT 318181	2012-09-10 09:12 AM
Go ask your local florist what they think about these so-called harmless vendors... And while you're at it, ask your local carpenter, your local painter, your local cook, landscaper, etc... Go ahead, ask them! Most of us have to play by the rules, pay our fees, pay insurance, comply with the litany of laws and regulations, so we can WORK HARD and feed our families...and hopefully get ahead. Some people cheat the system, lie, steal and rob from those who do it honestly and correctly. Supporting the cheaters makes you a BAD CITIZEN. Obviously those of you who see nothing wrong here have never started or run your own business... It must be nice to stand high on your pulpit, without a concern in the world for how hard it is to build a business casting judgement to all those who work hard and follow the law.
COMMENT 318246	2012-09-10 09:24 AM
I wish they'd crack down on the guys on State Street taking up half the sidewalk with their bracelets, etc. Flower guys are OK to me (although we don't know the whole story here).
COMMENT 318264	2012-09-10 09:49 AM
235, your life sounds really, really unhappy. You lost me when you started your paragraph with 'Most of us have to'... you don't have to, you want to. If you don't want to, then do something different and affect change to the system you seem to love/hate. Honestly, if I were in a position of needing to make a few bucks to eat (glad I'm not), I'd take a look at the all the unfriendly, unhappy people driving around, and probably sell flowers too. That way I could avoid becoming trapped in your miserable sounding System, and possibly cheer someone up with flowers. I know, you hate me... can I buy you a flower?
COMMENT 318270	2012-09-10 09:53 AM
There is a big difference in income between a carpenter, contractor, landscaper, painter and a Flower vendor or food cart vendor. There are many comments about the sanitary or health aspect of these vendors, but do you think those people who buy really aren't aware of that? I mean, those of you who are complaining about it would probably never consider buying from them, but those that do, have many times before. As far as the flower vendors, they aren't even as pushy as those who walk in the street with signs asking for money. Do those who claim to be in need of food, drink, gas, etc on the corner need a permit to make money too? One could look at it as they are seeking donations. Maybe the flower vendor, and food vendor need to change their approach and request donations instead of payment.
COMMENT 318271	2012-09-10 09:54 AM
I hope they gave him a FIX IT TICKET. (in bold because maybe someone from the police actually reads community comments and makes suggestions... nah, who am I kidding - that would be too community pro-active.)
COMMENT 318295P	2012-09-10 10:48 AM
@213 - Someone on your "other" thread about your car being towed, was right about you posting your car woes on other threads. You never gave us all the facts in your original complaint, and yet you are still complaining about it. I'm sure the cop was within the law to have your car towed, and YOU failed to produce your proof in a timely manner to overt it being towed, so I think YOU have only YOURSELF to blame. Take responsibility for problems that YOU probably caused..
COMMENT 318304	2012-09-10 11:20 AM
So many of you are just plain ridiculous... What would the reaction be if it were two little blonde girls selling lemonade on the corner? "THEY HANDLE MONEY AND SERVER ME LEMONADE! DISGUSTING!" I'm sure no one would have said that and it would have been some great injustice. It makes me laugh how some of you make it sound like he's making tons-o-money selling flowers. As others have mentioned, at least he’s doing some sort of work instead of all those "white" people who sit outside of stores asking for change. This isn't some drug-cartel selling millions of dollar’s worth of untaxed drugs, this is a guy probably trying to support his family selling flowers. Find something else to complain about, not this poor man or any of the others trying to get by...
COMMENT 318311	2012-09-10 11:46 AM
This 'vendor' was breaking the law. If you don't agree with the laws then vote people in office that will change the laws. Personally I'm offended that the city sends people around to houses and puts notices on any door they see or hear evidence of a dog that they must get a license. I have to pay for a dog license but you don't think street vendors should have to pay for a license or permit? The reasoning behind the requirements are the same - safety and regulation. Oh, and also to raise revenues for the local government servivces.
COMMENT 318181	2012-09-10 11:54 AM
What's sad is that many of you would rather support an illegal immigrant than a local business. You'd rather we undermine the entire economy to save yourself a few bucks... There is an entire network above this man. A hierarchy of bosses, a distribution network, growers, etc. Hundreds if not thousands of folks who take advantage and DO NOT PAY TAXES or FOLLOW THE LAW... Every single time you patronize these businesses you are stealing from your neighbors and your community. And to the poster who doesnt have to worry about money or work but casts judgement on those who do: It must be nice to never have to worry, no wonder you're so confused as to the value and costs of life these days. Perhaps your daddy would be better equipped to explain to you the virtues of HONESTY and HARD WORK since he is probably the one who worked hard to make the money you live on... Yes, you suck but not for the reasons you think.
MICRODOC	2012-09-10 12:07 PM
I'd much rather see a flower vendor close to a hospital than a beggar standing in line a the welfare office. I'd buy from this guy in a heartbeat if visiting a patient in the hospital. Lighten up!
COMMENT 318331	2012-09-10 12:47 PM
I agree with MICRODOC.
COMMENT 318335	2012-09-10 01:00 PM
@208- Too bad this is the Sheriff dept and not the CHP, therefore it can't be the same CHP as towed your car for 'no legitimate reason'.
COMMENT 318338	2012-09-10 01:08 PM
True story: My great great great grandfather arrived from Prussia in the 1850's. He bought a horse, and packed satchels up with a few silk scarves and small goods he could afford, and rode down some roads, hoping to sell enough to make money to go back to New Orleans and load up his packs again. When he hit the road, he did not know one word of English. A plantation owner invited him in, and he and his wife invited friends over who taught him a few words and bought his goods. He was able to make many trips back and forth, each time selling a bit more, and learning more English. Isn't it possible that 170 years from now these flower vendors' descendants could tell this same kind of story in a country as great as ours?
COMMENT 318339	2012-09-10 01:09 PM
This is @ the NE of Hollister/Patterson, and selling on this corner screws up the right turning traffic, probably why he was sited. Public funds were used to construct the traffic and pedestrian circulation, not for private business pursuits.
COMMENT 318331	2012-09-10 01:45 PM
338 - thanks for sharing your great story. We often forget our own family's beginnings. 339 - one can always pull into the parking lot, then buy the flowers.
COMMENT 318359	2012-09-10 01:50 PM
WAY too much speculation going on here and many of the comments are just annoying. Maybe the Sheriff's Department received a complaint about this individual. Maybe he didn't have a business permit, or was standing in the street about to cause an accident, or maybe he was blocking the sidewalk and someone in a wheelchair couldn't get around him. Maybe it was something else. Who knows. I don't see anyone contacting the Sheriff's Department to ask about the circumstances of this incident, if that's indeed what it was. I guess it's more fun to denigrate and criticize. Community comments, indeed. Snark away, whingers...
CORKY	2012-09-10 02:01 PM
I don't see any parking in handicapped except for the poor guy being sited and he's not taking up much space.
COMMENT 318304	2012-09-10 02:22 PM
@814 I love your assumption that because he has a cowboy hat and is dark skinned, he must be an illegal. That kind of mentality is what is hurting, not helping, this country. Yes, he probably doesn't have the proper documentation to run his business but he is still spending that money and being taxed on whatever it is that he is buying. Again, I don't see anyone making a big deal about little kids who sell lemonade or baked goods. Aren't they hurting local business as well? Bake sales happen all the time...
COMMENT 318270	2012-09-10 02:44 PM
@8314 Making an assumption of someone's legal status is careless, and degrading. I'm hispanic, and this man looks like he could be a member of my family. My family has lived in the United States for generations. It's insulting to say that those who buy from them are stealing from our neighbors and community. These people are part of our community, and may very well be our neighbors. Many forget that this great country is a melting pot of ethnicities, and that those who immigrate almost always do so to have a better life. My grandfather was an immigrant from Portugal. Worked many odd jobs as a single man, and even more when he married my grandmother. Jobs that most people would think below them, but he was proud. Stop making this about this mans race, and status.
COMMENT 318384	2012-09-10 02:58 PM
there guys usually are undocumented and they get paid a few bucks a day to go out and sell for another person. they don't actually get to KEEP the money they are making...they have no water and have to walk around and cannot return to their "boss" until all is sold...think about THAT. usually when I see them walking by my neighborhood on upper state I will buy several just to help them out...and i still support local business by going to farmers markets on Tuesdays to buy my favorite lilies. So you see, i'm helping out a fellow human being and supporting local business...easy.
CHICA	2012-09-10 02:59 PM
O.K., if the cops are going to get this guy off the street, let's hope they do the same and clean up State Street with all their vendors. Why are there no cops on State St. removing said vendors if it is illegal? Otherwise leave him alone. He is not blocking entrance to a store or shopping centers. I also hope they cite those food vendors so they need to get permits.
COMMENT 318149	2012-09-10 03:01 PM
@8304 8149 here. I'm assuming you were addressing me. With all the things to bag about you picked on me for saying someone with a thing against Mexicans/illegal aliens dropped a dime on this guy?? In case you didn't absorb the my entire post I was supporting his effort to make a living and couldn't a rat's backside about his ethnicity or immigration status. Someone else did, though.
COMMENT 318393	2012-09-10 03:22 PM
187 No I'm sorry it is not Goldman that causes hardship for our local contractors. It is the low bid contractors that employ illegal immigrants for wages way under scale. It is also the fault of the government that does nothing to regulate these businesses. Right here is SB it happens all the time. Illegal immigration is not the only issue although it is definitely a drain. California needs to realize that each time it passes a tax or additional regulation it makes doing business harder for everyone except those huge corporations that pay little or no taxes anyway. There is a way to regulate without killing small business.
COMMENT 318450P	2012-09-10 07:21 PM
Early one weekend, a woman was standing in the median on State Street at Hitchcock. To avoid getting a ticket for ignoring a pedestrian, I stopped and waved to her to cross the street. She came running over across the fast lane to my car to sell me flowers, which I had not seen. This past weekend, a full bucket of flowers was sitting at the corner of La Cumbre and Modoc, near Hope Ranch. No vendor was in sight. It looked like an "employer" had dropped off the flowers for an "employee."
COMMENT 318511	2012-09-11 06:24 AM
@MSSB. Yes you are exactly right. I'm a local trade contractor, and native of SB. I've been in business for thirty years. I'm much more concerned with the thieves running our state than with the illegal contractors. I love rich people who keep me busy, thank you!
COMMENT 318531	2012-09-11 07:46 AM
They would rather have him out stealing.

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