Anaheim's Laissez-Faire Solution

Yesterday at Free NY in a post about Pittsburg and the blighted areas, they referenced an article in PittsburgLive.com

Yes, Anaheim -- the home of Disneyland -- is a big city like Pittsburgh. Its population of 328,000, though richer and more diverse, is nearly identical. It's a major-league sports town -- with two arenas. And its original downtown was pretty much destroyed in the '70s by urban renewal and eminent-domain abuse.

Urban renewal? What corporation was that? Oh, that was a government program, a bunch of "we know what’s best" politicians and Bureaucrats. Eminent domain abuse? What corporation or business was responsible for upholding property rights? Oh that was the government’s job? Gee, sooooooo, they screwed the city up by doing something they had no business doing and not doing what they should have done. If that was a company they'd either fire the CEO or give him millions in stock options.

Mayor Pringle, a mid-40s Republican elected in 2002, is a certified madman when it comes to getting local government out of the way of progress.

Government out of the way? What's he think this is a Ayn Rand Novel? Who will protect the consumer from the evil entrepreneur? Who will ensure they sell the right things and open the right businesses? It is nice though to have an opinion in a previous rant somewhat verified as a good idea. Toot Toot!!

By decentralizing bureaucracies, relaxing regulations and zoning codes, waiving home improvement fees, declaring business tax holidays and emphasizing market solutions to things like a citywide Wi-Fi system, Pringle has created what he calls a "freedom-friendly" approach to fostering economic growth and redevelopment.

Dare we say it? Free Market or better yet laissez-faire .

Anaheim's massive urban redevelopment project is the 807-acre Platinum Triangle. Pringle's free-market enticements -- offering market incentives, cutting taxes, nurturing competition and protecting property rights -- have attracted billions in diverse investments, reports Orange County Register editorial writer Steven Greenhut.

Hold on here! You mean to tell me that billions have been invested (private investment) into an area AFTER; decentralizing bureaucracies, relaxing regulations and zoning codes, declaring business tax holidays, emphasizing market solutions?

Now picture a Buffalo Water Front "privately owned", with the same policies, or Downtown Niagara Falls. Think about all the blighted residential areas with; "waiving home improvement fees".

Somehow I doupt that any of our "leaders" will visit Anaheim or even look at, let alone consider that as a solution. After all the area tends to rely on socilalist ideas rather then real solutions.