Notes protest new Iowa City donation meters

The new purple parking meters located in downtown Iowa City are not just identified  as “donation stations,” but new protesting spots as well.

A majority of the new meters have messages taped to them protesting the city's new ordinance. The notes are handwritten in black marker and provide a variety of examples of what the meters don't offer that the previous panhandlers did - from jokes to music.

The recently added messages came in wake of the city's new panhandling policy that went into effect today.

The new  rule made it illegal to solicit in downtown Iowa City within 10 feet of a building, 15 feet of a crosswalk, 20 feet of ATMs and 10 feet from mobile vendors. Solicitors must also be at least 15 feet apart.

The new law is aimed at panhandlers but applies to anyone asking for an immediate donation of money, including fund-raisers and street musicians.

City officials said the new meters were installed to encourage pedestrians to deposit their donation into the meter instead of the panhandler's pockets, but clearly some Iowa City townies feel their money wasn't just a donation, but an entertainment investment too.