The Nanny State at Work

Via Radley Balko comes this story of local government hubris.

A recent court order is forcing Fred Krueger to finally get rid of his prized flock of pigeons.

Krueger hasn’t raced his flock of the some 100 homers since September 2002, when the city ordered the birds confined to their lofts. Now, the pigeons must be removed by July 15 because neighbors consider them a nuisance.

The city first enacted a no-flying rule in 1994 and completely banned the birds in 2002.

What is really amazing is the following quote from city Administrator Lisa Kotter,

Clintonville city administrator Lisa Kotter said they can create ordinances as they see fit.

“We don’t have to have a reason. Cities do have the right to regulate licensing and zoning,” Kotter said. “Sometimes we change the rules.”

Right, they don’t need a reason like preventing the return of Snowball or some other dread thing.

FILED UNDER: US Politics, , , , ,
Steve Verdon
About Steve Verdon
Steve has a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles and attended graduate school at The George Washington University, leaving school shortly before staring work on his dissertation when his first child was born. He works in the energy industry and prior to that worked at the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Division of Price Index and Number Research. He joined the staff at OTB in November 2004.

Comments

  1. madmatt says:

    Just another rethug doing the bidding of developers!!!!

  2. Fersboo says:

    Just another rethug doing the bidding of developers!!!!
    Posted by: madmatt at July 11, 2006 15:40 Permalink

    Maybe you could point out, where in the linked article, exactly what made you believe that.

  3. randall says:

    Lisa Kotter is correct,some city governments do change the rules. Some towns ban fireworks for public safety,or they may ban paint sales to minors to prevent substance abuse. In some cases they take private property going against the will of the people and sell it to rich land developers. My local government took my home and now a new Target store sits there. Getting rid of a flock of birds is child’s play. Vote them all out!