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When the Context is Dropped
Denver is considering a law that would require developers to include below-market rate housing in new projects in order to obtain city approval. Known as inclusionary zoning, the proposed law is being modeled after a similar ordinance in Atlanta. Both laws are providing an example of the poor decisions that are made when the context…
The “Right” to a Value
For decades, we have been told that individuals have a “right” to certain values, such as an education, a “living wage,” and health care. Such claims ignore the meaning of the concept right. Rights pertain to action–the freedom to take the actions one deems appropriate. The right to free speech means the freedom to express…
Refusing to be a Victim
Planet K, a central Texas retailer of e-cigarettes, pipes, incense, and assorted items for adult entertainment, filed a lawsuit against the city of Bryan in early November. The lawsuit alleges that the city’s sign ordinance is unconstitutional and violates the company’s free speech rights. At the heart of the dispute is an on-premise sign that…
When “Big Business” is the “Little People”
In recent years, much controversy has arisen over companies such as Airbnb and Uber. These two companies are the poster boys of the “sharing economy”–a technological revolution that has allowed millions to become successful entrepreneurs. City governments (as well as some state and national governments) have fought back and enacted a multitude of restrictions and…
Stay Home, Work Safe, or Else
This morning, Harris County Judge Lina Hildago ordered all residents of the county to stay at home unless they have her permission to leave. Of course, Hildago didn’t have the intellectual honesty to put it that way. Instead, she justified her dictatorial mandate by claiming that it will save lives while ignoring the number of…