He notes that if free enterprise in general should thrive, „why create a special category for food trucks and open up the possibility of abuse and dissatisfaction in the neighborhood?“ Paynes HB 2636 removes the fingerprinting requirement that cities can require employees in the grocery sales industry. Good news for food truck lovers. Wireless carriers may soon be allowed to operate in private residential areas across Arizona. A new food truck law in Arizona requires a single state license for food trucks and prevents cities from requiring separate insurance from owners, according to ABC 15. The House of Representatives gave the green light to the bill by a vote of 35 to 25, and the bill is currently before the Senate. There is still time to kill him – but for no other reason than the fact that no legislature should pass laws for its own financial gain. Elvia Díaz is a columnist for The Republic and azcentral. Contact them at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter, @elviadiaz1.
Under the old rules, food trucks required a county license and individual cities could apply for their own license for more than $100 each. The new law also allows food trucks to park in public places. Payne`s legislation could potentially disrupt an industry whose history is already difficult. Arizona cities have long struggled to regulate food trucks, from where they can park and at what times they can do business, to the point of setting a minimum distance from restaurants that vendors are allowed to set up. The bad news? Arizonans – whether they like food trucks or not – could be stuck in their neighborhood with many of them. Payne did not return an appeal Monday. But he said the company`s lawyers determined he had no conflict when he pushed HB 2321 last year to cut state regulations on food trucks. This legislation has been adopted. Mike Milligan, owner of Meatball`s Meatballs, said the new law creates an „open playground“ for food trucks. He said Scottsdale`s food truck drivers had their hands tied because the city didn`t have a food truck permit. Payne owns the K Star BBQ Food Truck, which means lawmakers are trying to change the law for their own financial gain.
How acceptable is that? Reza further argues that deregulation of clustering in residential areas could cause traffic problems – for example, when food trucks converge near busy street corners. Rep. Kevin Payne`s Bill 2636 is about to go into effect allowing food vendors to operate on private property in residential areas. „This could cause chaos among vendors,“ Reza said on behalf of Mobile Food Vendors, a group of about 60 food truck and hot dog owners. In the end, everyone will lose. Don`t get me wrong. I love food trucks, and so do a lot of Arizonans. It`s not just tacos stalls on street corners, but a growing industry serving all kinds of delicacies. Activist Salvador Reza opposes the law, saying it would override regulations imposed by some cities to avoid bundling mobile businesses.
All of this reminds me of Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, the Gilbertian Republican, who pocketed millions of taxpayers` money through his charter schools, but saw no conflict in abstaining from voting on charter schools. This is a big problem. Payne and his fellow lawmakers have apparently forgotten that the fingerprint rule stems from a kidnapping, rape and impregnation of a 9-year-old girl by an ice cream truck driver in Phoenix in 2004. State law allows cities and municipalities to require fingerprints. Why take a risk? However, before you say it`s a good idea, consider these three things: Ultimately, Payne`s mission seems to be nothing more than a desire to relax government regulations in favor of his private company. This is wrong, and he should know it. According to HB 2636, sellers must obtain the written consent of the owner, cannot serve „members of the general public“ and cannot operate on their own property.
That`s it, guys. It may be legal for lawmakers to sponsor and vote on bills that benefit their wallets, but that doesn`t make it morally or ethically fair.