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Should We Allow STRs?
A recent article about short-term rentals (STRs) in Corpus Christi begins with the question: “Should companies like Airbnb be allowed to do business in Corpus Christi?” The principle underlying that question poses a threat to every productive individual. Individual rights protect our freedom to act as we judge best, so long as we respect the…
Republican Disdain for Property Rights
Republicans in Minnesota, Mississippi, and Missouri are joining their colleagues in Texas and Florida in declaring their disdain for property rights and freedom of association. Of course, they aren’t stating it in those terms, but that is in fact what they are doing by supporting restrictions on private businesses. In Minnesota, lawmakers are considering a…
America is now Venezuela
For years, Americans watched in horror as Venezuela steadily descended from Latin America’s most prosperous nation to abject poverty. Many wondered, how could this happen? The essential reason is: The Venezuelan government, led first by Hugo Chavez and then by Nicholas Maduro, seized control of the nation’s production and trade. Beginning in 1999, the government…
Short-term Rentals and Property Rights
In the 2017 legislative session, Texas lawmakers considered numerous bills aimed at limiting the ability of local governments to pass ordinances regulating private property. One of these bills addressed short-term rentals (STRs). According to the Texas Tribune, proponents of SB451 (the Senate bill addressing STRs), said that the bill “would protect homeowners from strict local…
The Morality of Tree Ordinances
On Christmas Eve, 2017, owners of a parcel of land in Victoria, Texas, had several oak trees removed from their property. The owner’s actions renewed a debate that has been raging across Texas: Should property owners be allowed to remove trees on their land whenever they desire? Or should government regulate tree removal? As the…
It’s All About Property Rights
Ayn Rand correctly wrote that without property rights, no other rights are possible. And the reason is, it’s all about property rights. The right to property means the freedom to produce, trade, and use material values. If you are like most people, the bulk of your waking hours are spent producing, trading, or using material…