Brickbat: We've a Loveable Space

Charleston's TheDigitel / Foter / CC BY

With no debate, the Santa Monica, California, city council unanimously banned short-term residential rentals. The new law bans renting an entire housing unit for less than 30 days and allows owner to rent space, such a a bedroom or couch, only if they buy a business license and pay the city's 14 percent hotel tax.

Comments

[db]

The Santa Monica council has been trying for years to shut down the Santa Monica airport so they can sell the property to developers. The federal government won't let them because of a contract between the two entities that requires Santa Monica to maintain the airport in perpetuity in exchange for having been granted the land (the airport was a military airfield in WWII). It sounds like this council is all about granting special favors to developers and preventing competition in the real estate market.

[Old Man With Candy]

That airport is wonderful in that it has some terrific food. It's horrible in that noise abatement (the surrounding neighborhood have more "pull" than the ones around Burbank or LAX) causes takeoffs and landings to be much more hazardous than they need to be. And don't get me started on the fees they charge if you have to roll your plane off the runway even for a minute...

[EDG reppin' LBC]

I used to live on Ozone Ave. in Venice, half a block from the beach. Directly under the take off path of SMA. Those planses are loud ad fuck. To quote Dangerfield from Caddyshack, "I just got head from Amelia Earhart!"

[Old Man With Candy]

See, you guys aren't as influential. Suggestion: become richer.

[UnCivilServant]

Problem: They're in California and aren't cronies.

[Vapourwear]

California. Its got what people crave, it's got compassion.

[UnCivilServant]

Compassion seized from the residents and kept in secure lock-up until the proper fees are paid.

[UnCivilServant]

Taxing power needs to be taken away from localities. They've proven they have no need of it.

[AlmightyJB]

I would rather having all taxing power in the hands of localities.

[Scarecrow Repair]

Damn straight! One of my pet schemes for reforming government is to have all revenue flow upward only. Here's one such fun scheme:

First weekend of every month, 100 families gather with checkbooks and notes, and voluntarily spend money on what ails them -- local teeter-totter, curb needs fixing, potholes, street lights, whatever. They also elect a representative for next weekend and provide him with money and a list of what it can be spent on.

Next weekend, 100 of those representatives meet and repeat; they represent 10K families. Do the same for four full weekends, representing 1M and 100M families.

Of course, "100" has to be adjusted for population growth such that the fourth weekend represents everybody at the national level.

What would be fun is to tack it on as a Constitutional amendment. Let the current system produce laws themselves exactly as now, but all funding has to come from the bottom up, and nowhere else. That would put a damper on things.

[Rich]

100 families gather with checkbooks and notes

Why do you hate poor illiterate single people, S R? WHY?!

[AlmightyJB]

Hey at least he didn't say bitcoins:)

[UnCivilServant]

How are poor people going to pay taxes?

[Paul.]

Same way they do now.

[Scarecrow Repair]

Gosh gee whillikers Batman, I hadn't thought of that.

I guess the spendies could give some of their money for redistribution to the poor, who could then donate it to fund the projects they want.

And I guess oral notes would be good enough, or blinky eyes, or telepathic suggestions.

[Paul.]

Spirit fingers?

[Scarecrow Repair]

And and and ... families! My bad. I meant households, of course.

My, I am out of whack this a.m. I hope I can get straightened out.

[Charles Easterly]

I think that was a fairly light Brickbat from Mr. Oliver, for which I am thankful.

However, I don't think anyone will be thankful toward me after this:
"Cops kill unarmed man, suffocate him to death on side of highway"
http://libertycrier.com/t/cops.....highway/24

Warning: It's worse than it may seem.

[AlmightyJB]

Watching news this morning. Immediately following Baltimore cops stort was a story about two coos "risking their lives" to save a dog in a river. What a load of crap. Would be nice if human beings were affirded the same courtesy.

[Rich]

What a load of crap.

Apparently you didn't see the end of that story. The dog "lunged" at the coos and they shot it dead.

[AlmightyJB]

Any cop with his knee in on someones head who is being held down especially when there on concrete needs to be in prison. Gen pop.

[Swiss Servator, Kaffee bitte!]

"OK, here is my 30 day lease...it requires a 'security deposit' should you break the lease after ...oh, say 7 days" *wink*"

[UnCivilServant]

"You got something in your eye there?"

[Rich]

It's just a rapid narrowed gaze.

[Swiss Servator, Kaffee bitte!]

EXACTLY.

[Mainer2]

Remember kids, freedom means asking permission and taking orders.

[Charles Easterly]

Dance