Cities Are Quietly Waging War on Small Businesses

Government officials are not allowed to pursue personal vendettas or retaliate against people for criticizing their policies.

But that is precisely what is happening in the town of Parksley on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where out-of-control bureaucrats have done everything in their power to target and eliminate the town’s first—and only—food truck simply because they dislike its owners and the fact that they dared to work with the Institute for Justice to call for the repeal of the town’s unconstitutional food truck ban.

Now, IJ is teaming up with the food truck owners to file a federal lawsuit to vindicate their #1stAmendment #4thAmendment and #14thAmendment rights.

[albanydan]

Steve lehto covered a similar cast of local council trying to force a business to close to help charge the local appearance of a town

Thank god IJ are here to help fight these people and do the right thing

[jbman]

Justice has been biased in America for a long time. Keep up the good work.

[ITSONLYMEWATCHING]

In Louisiana, my friend has had a taxi business for 20 years. When he wanted to do rideshare, he couldn't afford the insurance and the rules that the State legislature made that line up identically to the rules made by Lift and Uber. So in essence they just took their rules and applied them to us not even asking if it's good for us.

[bradkeck]

If small businesses die, the economy will suffer for regular people, which is most of us

[Royalearthangel]

I am so grateful to you all at IJ...God bless.

[jaykiller]

Huh? The government shut down small business a long time ago. Wal mart, giant, save a lot, and other grocery stores now have a name your own price tool.

[meangeliadenise]

@IJ I am praying for your continued safety. 🙏🏽 IJN

[TheeJosephSantos]

The war on small business isn't quiet. Now in California, there are signs for miles barring food trucks with expensive permits from cities. Prices on them just keep going up.

[AlternativeHomesteading]

Agree. Here in rural KY locals rrespassed my property, tore down three green hosues then proceeded to burn and cur all of my berry shrubs, stole potatoes and planted grass seed in my negetable beds.

[penrodautorepair]

Happened to me in Clayton township Michigan, Arenac county. A neighbor didn’t like me
And use their political clout because they owned a trucking company to stop me from putting an auto repair shop in on my own property

The wife of the guy who owned the truck shop
Made a comment to me as long as she lives on the street I’ll never have a business here. I wish I had got it on a recording

These townships are using special use permits to control local zoning to create monopolies of businesses violating the Sherman antitrust act

[Endless_Jaguar]

There is no Red or Blue. Just We the People and "our" Government.

[AmericanBadger]

Love y’all and the great work you do to help the little guys! ❤️

[dangeary]

You should see what happens in relatively small towns when one of their cash cow businesses gets shut down by someone that got screwed by that same business .
The retaliation never stops…..

[elladoz]

Been that way in the small city I live in n 🤔. Thanks for sharing ❤.

[sharkysmachine]

Pittsburgh did exactly this to Independent Towing Truck increased regulation, insurance and other mandatory safety features that made it too expensive

[noconsentgiven]

The government is the fulcrum between citizen and merchant class, not judge and jury😑😔.

[arpoky]

If anything, it's the government's job to protect the small competitors from the rich and powerful.

[stuartkorte]

They’ve been doing it for centuries. Money talks, unfortunately.

[loganclements]

IJ is great. I hope to support them. Perhaps my software can help in a revolutionary new way.

[tsadaqah]

They killed a lot of small buisnesses during the ridiculous lock downs and promoting large corporate buisnesses.