Op Ed reply on the Tapp's Arts Center Project"

As a Libertarian, I'm naturally opposed to Government (at any level)
interfering in the free market place. But as you well know, Government
constantly interferes in the market place. From onerous licensing and
regulations, to the extent of telling private property owners what they
can do on their own property through zoning laws. These impositions into
our lives never seem to meet with as much scrutiny, and herein is the
crux of my argument.

In all of these debates over Main Street America Revitalization Projects
no one ever asks, "Why is Main Street America in trouble?" Many short-
sighted people with a leftist bent will blame business itself: Walmart,
'greedy' businessmen who have abandoned urban centers, etc, etc....

I BLAME Government!

Specifically Government's Land Use Programs that began in the 1960's
through UNESCO (yes the UN) an fully implemented in the 1970's
nationwide. Onerous ZONING LAWS were the result. I could write a book
on this issue; and I might one day. But for the sake of this single debate,
the Tapp's Arts Center Project, I will restrain myself.

Main Street is dead because Main St. DIES each day at 5 PM.

Thanks to onerous zoning laws people don't LIVE there, so people don't
SHOP there, so people don't EAT there, etc. etc. Granted this is changing;
a property owner can now go to the Government and ask (or plead) for a
variance to have residential living space in commercially zoned areas.

Government interference created these problems, and Government
has an obligation to remedy these problems. And to the extent of
giving reparations(money) to property owners for the damage that
bad anti-business Government interference caused! - Joe Schwarz

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2011/03/18/1740631/bolton-the-artful-city.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=addthis#ixzz1H5GeqADW