30 July 2005
Valley towns wash government restraint down the drain
Porterville is looking to place limits on fundraising car washes. Fresno already has done so for several years. Why?
These car washes are becoming popular means for families and groups to raise their own revenue rather than begging the government. Businesses are voluntarily allowing these groups on their property for these events. Some groups rely on car washes for a significant portion of their revenue.
The rationales cited in the Fresno Bee today are very telling about the mindset of far, far too many government officials, elected and appointed.
"The big issue is that regardless of why the car washes were happening, the wastewater was just going down into the gutters, most of which drain into rivers. We have to stop that uncontrolled runoff into our storm drain system."
Does anyone out there think that the fundraising car washes make any kind of even semi-serious bump in the amount of pollution going into the storm drains? What percentage of people use fundraisers as a source of their car cleaning in any given time period? Moreover, does anyone out there believe that fundraising car washes increase in any serious way the number of car washes in an area at any given time? It's reasonable to assume that when most people notice that their car is dirty and decide to go to a fundraiser, the fundraiser will probably substitute for the commercial car wash or the driveway at home that they would normally use.
"Several years ago, we [Fresno] had the same problems that Porterville is having now. The car washes are everywhere, and there were problems with runoff, excessive water use and even traffic. People were standing in traffic to advertise their event. It was a very real hazard."
See above, and substitute "water use" and "runoff" for "pollution". As for people standing in traffic, it would seem that the nuclear option was not necessary in dealing with the behavior of car washers. Discipline them individually when they cause problems, but don't punish people who follow the rules.
"We used a lot of good customer-service skills. We shut them down, but we also told them where they could go to hold authorized car washes."
Liberty559 translation: "It's OK for government to put an operation out of business as long as it's done with kindness. And besides, the business that is hosting the car washes doesn't get any customers out of it because the people doing the car washes and the people waiting for the car washes don't normally buy stuff. So, it doesn't make any difference if the car wash is held at another location."
"That isn't one of the areas they are required to regulate, but they can choose to regulate car washes if they've had a problem."
This was a pollution expert at a pollution agency saying that car wash fundraisers are not on their regulatory radar. If cities are regulating fundraising car washes, they're doing it without any specific prompting from the pollution bureaucracy.
"We were having way too many people holding car washes every day, without a license, and without having to follow the same guidelines as professional car washes. It was polluting our water, and it was an unfair business practice."
Here's where the rubber meets the road. It is routine for a commercial industry to weigh in with their elected officials when small, impromptu individual business competitors spring up. Several years ago in Fresno, the city reviewed an ordinance proposal to clamp down on street corner vendors. Most specifically at that time were complaints about people selling flowers on street corners for Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. Who were the chief complainers? Florists!
"I'm involved a lot with schools, and I know how hard it is for them to raise money. We will try to help as many as we can, as long as people realize we can't do it every weekend."
An apparently sympathetic commercial car wash owner. Of course, scarcely anyone would or should expect commercial car washes to pick up the slack. That's more reason for the government to leave the situation alone and allow fundraisers and property owners to deal with the charitable need on a consensual basis.
"I know they are trying to reduce pollutants and also regulate businesses. What I don't know yet, is how we will replace the money we raised here. The car wash was run by men from the home, which doesn't receive any government money. This won't shut us down, though. We will find a way to stay open."
A nonprofit operating a car wash without a license (after all, it's nonprofit). What the license does, I don't know, other than restrict trade. Yes, you are correct, sir, in your view that Porterville is trying to "regulate businesses". The multi-multi-million dollar question is "Why?" To what end is regulation a benefit to Porterville or Fresno or any other city, other than benefitting a special interest? This group is functioning as best it can without its hand out to government officials, and this is the thanks they get? Godspeed to this organization as they try to move on without their car wash.
"I don't like the idea of the city shutting them down, but there is not much I can do."
The owner of the property allowing the nonprofit car wash to operate. Most of the time, there isn't much that can be done when elected officials are headstrong and focused in their regulatory zeal. Most elected officials want to do good, want to be reformers. Unfortunately, in weighing their options for reform, the best option is often the least considered option: DO NOTHING! The best way to avoid actions like those likely to happen to in Porterville? Elect libertarians!
"In a case such as a family trying to raise money for a funeral, they could ask a professional car wash business for help, and I think there are many in town who would do so. We're not trying to keep groups from raising money. We're just trying to make the situation fair for everyone."
Just more evidence that the concerns about pollution and runoff and traffic and safety, concerns that are either not real problems or are easily addressable problems on a individual basis, sublimate to the one concern that cannot be satisfied as long as these fundraising car washes are allowed to exist unregulated: competition.
A free marketplace IS a fair marketplace!
These car washes are becoming popular means for families and groups to raise their own revenue rather than begging the government. Businesses are voluntarily allowing these groups on their property for these events. Some groups rely on car washes for a significant portion of their revenue.
The rationales cited in the Fresno Bee today are very telling about the mindset of far, far too many government officials, elected and appointed.
"The big issue is that regardless of why the car washes were happening, the wastewater was just going down into the gutters, most of which drain into rivers. We have to stop that uncontrolled runoff into our storm drain system."
Does anyone out there think that the fundraising car washes make any kind of even semi-serious bump in the amount of pollution going into the storm drains? What percentage of people use fundraisers as a source of their car cleaning in any given time period? Moreover, does anyone out there believe that fundraising car washes increase in any serious way the number of car washes in an area at any given time? It's reasonable to assume that when most people notice that their car is dirty and decide to go to a fundraiser, the fundraiser will probably substitute for the commercial car wash or the driveway at home that they would normally use.
"Several years ago, we [Fresno] had the same problems that Porterville is having now. The car washes are everywhere, and there were problems with runoff, excessive water use and even traffic. People were standing in traffic to advertise their event. It was a very real hazard."
See above, and substitute "water use" and "runoff" for "pollution". As for people standing in traffic, it would seem that the nuclear option was not necessary in dealing with the behavior of car washers. Discipline them individually when they cause problems, but don't punish people who follow the rules.
"We used a lot of good customer-service skills. We shut them down, but we also told them where they could go to hold authorized car washes."
Liberty559 translation: "It's OK for government to put an operation out of business as long as it's done with kindness. And besides, the business that is hosting the car washes doesn't get any customers out of it because the people doing the car washes and the people waiting for the car washes don't normally buy stuff. So, it doesn't make any difference if the car wash is held at another location."
"That isn't one of the areas they are required to regulate, but they can choose to regulate car washes if they've had a problem."
This was a pollution expert at a pollution agency saying that car wash fundraisers are not on their regulatory radar. If cities are regulating fundraising car washes, they're doing it without any specific prompting from the pollution bureaucracy.
"We were having way too many people holding car washes every day, without a license, and without having to follow the same guidelines as professional car washes. It was polluting our water, and it was an unfair business practice."
Here's where the rubber meets the road. It is routine for a commercial industry to weigh in with their elected officials when small, impromptu individual business competitors spring up. Several years ago in Fresno, the city reviewed an ordinance proposal to clamp down on street corner vendors. Most specifically at that time were complaints about people selling flowers on street corners for Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. Who were the chief complainers? Florists!
"I'm involved a lot with schools, and I know how hard it is for them to raise money. We will try to help as many as we can, as long as people realize we can't do it every weekend."
An apparently sympathetic commercial car wash owner. Of course, scarcely anyone would or should expect commercial car washes to pick up the slack. That's more reason for the government to leave the situation alone and allow fundraisers and property owners to deal with the charitable need on a consensual basis.
"I know they are trying to reduce pollutants and also regulate businesses. What I don't know yet, is how we will replace the money we raised here. The car wash was run by men from the home, which doesn't receive any government money. This won't shut us down, though. We will find a way to stay open."
A nonprofit operating a car wash without a license (after all, it's nonprofit). What the license does, I don't know, other than restrict trade. Yes, you are correct, sir, in your view that Porterville is trying to "regulate businesses". The multi-multi-million dollar question is "Why?" To what end is regulation a benefit to Porterville or Fresno or any other city, other than benefitting a special interest? This group is functioning as best it can without its hand out to government officials, and this is the thanks they get? Godspeed to this organization as they try to move on without their car wash.
"I don't like the idea of the city shutting them down, but there is not much I can do."
The owner of the property allowing the nonprofit car wash to operate. Most of the time, there isn't much that can be done when elected officials are headstrong and focused in their regulatory zeal. Most elected officials want to do good, want to be reformers. Unfortunately, in weighing their options for reform, the best option is often the least considered option: DO NOTHING! The best way to avoid actions like those likely to happen to in Porterville? Elect libertarians!
"In a case such as a family trying to raise money for a funeral, they could ask a professional car wash business for help, and I think there are many in town who would do so. We're not trying to keep groups from raising money. We're just trying to make the situation fair for everyone."
Just more evidence that the concerns about pollution and runoff and traffic and safety, concerns that are either not real problems or are easily addressable problems on a individual basis, sublimate to the one concern that cannot be satisfied as long as these fundraising car washes are allowed to exist unregulated: competition.
A free marketplace IS a fair marketplace!
# posted by Rodney Austin @ 10:09 AM 
