Balancing Rights on Main Street

Everybody has rights on Main Street, said Rich Antous, the Main Street coordinator for the Unified Neighborhood Inspection Team, (UNIT), in Danbury.

Balancing those rights can be a challenge, Antous said. People on the streets have rights plus the Main Street business owners have rights. They want to succeed in business without someone else discouraging people by accosting downtown shoppers.

Who bothers the customers? Antous said pandhandlers, people selling dental services and people pushing religion.

"The dentist team is pretty pushy. They'll surround someone, trying to get them to sign a contract," Antous said. "I talk to the religious factions. I tell them Jesus doesn't need to be peddled. Jesus also wants the man to get his pizza for lunch."

George Korres wants fewer hassles on Main Street for his customers at Nico's Pizza, across from Danbury Public Library.

"I have good customers. They'll come back," Korres said. "I want customers to not be bothered."

He doesn't want people trying to sell them insurance or religion or panhandling, with or without crutches.

"George is right. He's been downtown for years and he works hard," Antous said. "He knows what he's talking about. We don't have a lot of people walking downtown, so when they get accosted, they get accosted a few times. It's a major problem."