The following article was published on Capitalism Magazine.com. $ $ $ Across the nation, millions of entrepreneurial Americans seek to create jobs, pursue their passion, or simply make a few extra dollars by starting their own business. But often, they are forced to abandon their dreams, not because they lack talent or capital, but because…
The following article was published on Capitalism Magazine.com. $ $ $ If you were alone on a desert island you would not be able to escape the fact that you must work to sustain your life. Alone on the island you could spend your days in any activity of your choosing—hunting, fishing, building a home,…
The following article was published in the Spring 2010 issue of The Objective Standard. $ $ $ For centuries, few have questioned the idea that waterways—streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans—are or should be “public property.” The doctrine of “public trust,” with roots in both Roman and English common law, holds that these resources should not…
The following article was published in the Spring 2009 issue of The Objective Standard. $ $ $ Houston, Texas, my hometown, is one of only two American cities with a population greater than one hundred thousand that has not imposed zoning laws on its citizens. (The other city is Pasadena, Texas, a suburb of Houston.)…
The following article was published in the Houston Chronicle on July 21, 1994. $ $ $ Consider the following scenario: You arrive home to find that your house has been burglarized. The police investigate the scene and proceed to write you a citation for inadequate burglary deterrence. You are told that the city has an…
The following article was published in the June 15, 2009 issue of The North Country Bulletin in Chama, New Mexico. $ $ $ Many claims are made about zoning. It will promote our “quality of life”, it will protect neighborhoods, it will prevent “incompatible” land uses, and much more. But zoning is not a benevolent…
In the mid-2000s, residents of Hobbs, New Mexico were debating a proposal to implement comprehensive zoning. I was hired as a consultant to fight the proposed zoning ordinance. The article below was published in the local newspaper. $ $ $ Zoning proponents have presented zoning as the solution to many of the “problems” confronting Hobbs….
In the mid-2000s, residents of Hobbs, New Mexico were debating a proposal to implement comprehensive zoning. I was hired as a consultant to fight the proposed zoning ordinance. The article below was published in the local newspaper. $ $ $ Zoning advocates have claimed that zoning will improve our “quality of life”, but they have…
In the mid-2000s, residents of Hobbs, New Mexico were debating a proposal to implement comprehensive zoning. I was hired as a consultant to fight the proposed zoning ordinance. The article below was published in the local newspaper. $ $ $ The Maddox Foundation has offered a grant of $15 million to the City of Hobbs…
In the mid-2000s, residents of Hobbs, New Mexico were debating a proposal to implement comprehensive zoning. I was hired as a consultant to fight the proposed zoning ordinance. The article below was published in the local newspaper. $ $ $ On October 30, 2005 an Editorial in this newspaper stated that the city commission should…