Y'all sound like a bunch of lazy, liberal, whining boobs who want the government to take responsibility for everything in your life. Sheesh! Get off your lazy butt for 20 minutes and shovel your own walks for crying out loud. The reason intrusive laws like these are passed is because people won't take responsibility to do their duty and make their own neighborhoods a safer place to live.
If you think you're too old and fear you're going to have a heart attack, I have two suggestions. 1) Pay some 12 year old neighborhood kid $10 bucks to do it, and 2) Stop being such couch potato and get a little exercise once in while.
I don't think laziness is a factor here. Shoveling snow is one of the most strenuous activities there are. It can cause heart attacks, back strain and hypothermia. I agree with freee and Deathfrombelow that gov't should not force people to do anything with property that doesn't even belong to them. Check out this site for the Scoop on Snow shoveling Safety -
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/snow.htm
Most people drive, therefore people who choose to walk in the snow should have to take responsibility for themselves. There should be tort reform and if the city gov'ts insist on this being done for people, then they should cut some other program to provide the service for them.
I, personally don't recall asking our city gov't to do anything with the sidewalks, in fact, I never even asked for the damn things.