Safer fund raising

In Jackson, a familiar sight for motorists is smiling adults -- or sometimes children -- coming up to vehicles at busy intersections asking for donations for a fund-raiser. These activities have been successful enough that more and more organizations have chosen to take to the streets to raise money for good causes.

But city officials have worried for years about the safety of street solicitors and snarled traffic that gets even more clogged up by the fund-raising activities.

After a great deal of careful consideration, the Jackson Board of Aldermen unanimously voted last week to ban this activity on city streets.

It's not that any of the aldermen want to prevent worthwhile organizations from raising money, but they are concerned about safety and traffic flow.

In taking the action to ban street soliciting, city officials were careful to point out that organizations can still ask motorists for donations in the parking lots of private businesses. For most fund-raisers, this will provide ample opportunity to tap the goodwill of charitable motorists.

Jackson's solution is a good one, and it can be hoped that organizations will take advantage of the city's encouragement to do their fund raising on private property -- and that motorists will continue to show their generosity for good causes.