There has been a partial solution to the problems you identify floating around in the legislature for some years--- the idea of enabling parties in interest, including neighbors and neighborhood organizations to file exterior code complaints and if they are not acted upon by the municipality, enabling the party in interest to pursue the issue in court. I don't know how the bill's sponsor (who as I recall was Rep. Kirkland from Chester) came upon this idea, but in context it harkens to the "private attorneys general movement" that sought to empower individuals and communities to pursue public policy agendas through the courts.
Dammm ... you gotta love those Lawyers ... er Legislators -- doing their part to create jobs in America!!!!
One could envision community based organizations receiving training in code enforcement (one wouldn't want a system of harrassing your neighbor through the courts) and pursuing complaints in part in lieu (and perhaps financially supported by) of L&I. The bill has been bottled up by property owners and the City's legislative delegation has historically not been willing to do much to push this bill.
... and getting the Taxpayers to finance both the jobs created and to guarantee their salaries to boot!
Way cool dude!
I guess I should consider a career change. Government Job Retraining funds should easily cover this. And it would be tax deductible as well.
Of course this cuts both ways...
Just think, we could use this movement to go back to enforcing "Blue Laws." Not to mention all of those laws on the books which the Police and Judicial System prefer to "negotiate" rather than enforce... If your neighbor plays their TV too loud after 10PM don't tell them to turn it down, simply slap them with a government-paid-for lawsuit. BAM! If Kyle's neighbors toss trash out their windows. BAM! If "Cafe Society" blocks your passage on the sidewalk.BAM!
But the good news is: we can finally do-in all of those Dogs running loose in Clark Park!...BAM! Getting the rooster will be harder, but we'll get 'm too!...BAM!
Just think of how many more "process servers" this will employ (all patronage jobs)! And how many more Judges we'll need to handle the case loads! Maybe this is simply a way to bring back the old Magistrates Court System ... where the presiding officer doesn't need ANY legal training -- You just "pays your money and gets your verdict."
You'll note that a large part of this description/discussion has nothing to do with enforcing existing law. It's purpose is to "Pursue public policy agendas through the courts." Or as the Right would put it, "To legislate through Judicial Fiat."
This is one of the most asinine ideas I've heard put forward by the Loony Left in years. (Note that if the Radical Right had made such a proposition, it would be decried as Fascist.)
Hey, hey Ayatollah, you created a Theocracy -- well, we're going to see you and raise you one. You can have your Sharia; we have Torts. We're going to create a "Litocracy." nayna, nayna boo boo.
The mind reels with possibilities!!!
And just for the record: the Radical Right and the Loony Left only differ in WHO gets to dictate what you are allowed to do. The goal of both groups is identical: to dictate to you what you can and cannot do.
T.T.F.N. William H. Magill [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
