I have previously written, albeit briefly, about both the economic and moral aspects of opposition to Austin’s CodeNext. The debate over the city’s proposed new land-use regulations is an example of the gang warfare that permeates modern American politics. On one side we have developers and their lobbyists. On the other side, we have community…
In the last post, we briefly examined the contradictory goals of some opponents of Austin’s proposed new land-use regulations. The opponents support regulations that limit density and impose other controls on developers that add as much as 40 percent to the cost of new housing. In this post, we will examine the moral component of…
It is understandable that individuals are more passionate about property rights issues that have a direct impact on their lives. For example, rural Texans are more concerned about eminent domain, water rights, and endangered species regulations, and they have little or no concern about historic preservation or tree protection ordinances. Urban Texans are more concerned…
For the past five years, the city of Austin has been working on a revised land-use ordinance called CodeNext. The ordinance has grown to 1,500 pages and is attracting a great deal of controversy. Opponents have organized a petition drive to submit the plan to voters. One group opposed to the the new ordinance, Community…
Twenty-five years ago, Al Norman led an effort to prevent Walmart from building a store in Greenfield, Massachusetts. In the years since, he has helped keep big-box stores out of dozens of small towns across the country. Norman and his fellow activists claim that their efforts are aimed at helping small, independent retailers. National chains,…
The right to property means the freedom to create, use, keep, trade, and dispose of values. The ways in which this can be done are limited only by human imagination. Last week, I experienced the creation of value in a way that I would have never imagined, but somebody else did. And I appreciate it….
The former mayor of Anaheim, California, Curt Pringle, has an inspiring story about how his city was able to redevelop a large area without using eminent domain. He insisted that property rights would be protected, or redevelopment would not occur. “Freedom” quickly became the motto of my administration. In fact, our local paper, the Orange…
With the exception of those who have taken a vow of poverty, human beings desire “stuff.” We want more than the basic necessities that life requires. We want a safe place to live and dependable transportation. We want to attend concerts, movies, and sporting events. We want gadgets, such as smart phones, computers, and flat…
A recent editorial in the Dallas Morning News states that The idea of the American Dream is that anyone can start from the bottom and work their way up by their own means. Unfortunately, that isn’t happening for everyone. The editorial goes on to list five things that prove that a strong work ethic isn’t…
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…
San Antonio is considering new regulations for short-term rentals (STRs). Unfortunately, some STR owners welcome the new regulations. For example, Jim Smith, who owns five STRs, supports the regulations because of financial concerns. He believes that those who aren’t paying the city’s hotel tax have an unfair advantage, and he wants that to change. This…