Putting the brakes on food trucks
By Chris A. Pabon
Washington
In the Oct. 2 Metro article “A food fight on D.C.’s streets,” the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and restaurant owners seem determined to use draconian measures to put a stop to the vibrant food-truck scene. Whatever happened to the free market, where if an entrepreneur can deliver a better product at a lesser price, he is allowed to succeed? One hopes the D.C. government will see that the long lines at these trucks show that people are embracing their arrival and clamoring for more than just hot dogs.
Instead of marshaling resources to try to exile the food trucks from downtown, perhaps the BIDs should attempt to find a way to work with them. The street-food renaissance should be supported, not squashed.
By
washingtonpost.com editors
| October 5, 2010; 6:57 PM ET
Categories:
D.C., HotTopic
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Posted by: jckdoors | October 6, 2010 12:33 PM | Report abuse
I think there would be a lot less controversy if DC government created an even playing field. One way to begin to do that is mandating that the food trucks pay the same 10% food tax that all the brick and mortar restaurants have to collect and pay. Paying a flat quarterly sales tax is not fair...play fair and play by the same rules...then eveyone wins.
Posted by: admomaven | October 6, 2010 4:01 PM | Report abuse
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I guess the restaurant owners don't believe in free markets. The trucks offer an alternative the people obviously want. It kills me when business types try to find ways to stifle competition. You want it both ways.