Why are we making it harder for locally owned businesses?

From over at Blog KC, it sounds as if the city council's Public Safety and Neighborhoods Committee is, right now, meeting to discuss a new policy that would essentially eliminate all 3 AM bars in the city with the exception of the Power & Light District.

The new policy would definitely have a negative impact on many local neighborhood bars...and some districts including Westport. 

The idea that the city would actively pursue a policy that could have a dramatic impact on locally owned businesses in favor of an already subsidized bar district is baffling to me -- and the exact opposite direction we need to be heading. Already these bars have had to endure the competition for the subsidized P&L District, followed shortly by the city's smoking ban, and now, potentially, losing several hours of latenight business because they're no longer able to stay open.

Why do we keep sending the message to our local entrepreneurs that we really don't want their businesses in our city? We should be working to help local entrepreneurs...not working against them.

And it's becoming clearer and clearer that the P&L District has quickly become one of the most powerful lobbying forces in the city.

From over at Blog KC, it sounds as if the city council's Public Safety and Neighborhoods Committee is, right now, meeting to discuss a new policy that would essentially eliminate all 3 AM bars in the city with the exception of the Power & Light District.

The new policy would definitely have a negative impact on many local neighborhood bars...and some districts including Westport. 

The idea that the city would actively pursue a policy that could have a dramatic impact on locally owned businesses in favor of an already subsidized bar district is baffling to me -- and the exact opposite direction we need to be heading. Already these bars have had to endure the competition for the subsidized P&L District, followed shortly by the city's smoking ban, and now, potentially, losing several hours of latenight business because they're no longer able to stay open.

Why do we keep sending the message to our local entrepreneurs that we really don't want their businesses in our city? We should be working to help local entrepreneurs...not working against them.

And it's becoming clearer and clearer that the P&L District has quickly become one of the most powerful lobbying forces in the city.