Quote:
Originally Posted by exit2lef
Perhaps if were talking only about the Derby and its GPLET, I might at least partially agree. In actuality, it's so much more. It's about his working with a legislator from Gilbert of all places to use legislative pre-emption to undermine the Roosevelt Row Business Improvement District. It's about complaining when the city charges market rates for street parking in order to encourage turnover. I don't hate Angels Trumpet; I still go there occasionally. Nevertheless, the owner's positions on numerous issues, even before the Derby came along, demonstrate a set of values and priorities that are far better suited to 44th St. and Thomas than they are to 2nd St. & McKinley.
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Yeah, I think that lack of respect for local control is one of the worst issues with Arizona and wildly hypocritical for conservatives. Phoenix would be a vastly better city if Arizona actually embraced limited government and got out of its way instead of forcing limited government down the throats of people who don't want it.
That being said, I don't disagree with the new BID formation rules. It's a shame they have to start over, but the initial process, however legal, was faulty and undemocratic. If they can't get it done under the new rules, the BID shouldn't be formed. As for how the BID relates to Angel's Trumpet, I'd probably be annoyed too if I had to spend thousands of dollars in extra taxes a year (that's a lot of beer!) for something I didn't see the results of or felt that I didn't have a voice in the process. The BID managers for downtown, Downtown Phoenix Inc, were my enemy when I lived there for what it's worth. I was in constant opposition to those jerks.
As for parking, he's an idiot--nothing goes on in neighborhoods with abundant parking, and the lack of parking would encourage alternative transportation without the additional risk of a DUI, which in his case means more beer sold. It's also interesting to consider that such a flagrant conservative is depending on the subsidy of free parking and refuses market pricing on the matter. Some people...