ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Trying to take bite out of the city's panhandling problem, St. Petersburg's city council has voted to ban street solicitation.

The council voted unanimously Thursday for the ban, which also means that Sunday newspaper street hawkers will be out of a job and firefighters won't be able to collect money in their boots for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Council members called that "collateral damage," saying it was necessary to do something to limit the surge in roadside panhandling.

Council members first listened to about four hours of testimony, which was evenly split among those for and against the ban, which takes effect June 13.