Government in the private sector is bad at any level

Bar Norfolk sign

Today I’m writing about a local story that illustrates government gone wild. The all powerful Norfolk city government has decided to eliminate the scourge of two bars located in a local mall. Let’s make it clear that these bars were courted a decade ago to make the Waterside Mall atmosphere more ‘vibrant’. Now the city is claiming that the bars result in many police calls and need to be closed. The city claims it wants to promote a more ‘family friendly atmosphere’ at the mall. Who exactly appointed them as mall overseer? They appointed themselves. Have they visited the Waterside Mall lately? With the exception of the nightlife at these bars it might as well be a ghost town. Young people crowd and line up to get into these establishments. This kind of hubress on the part of government drives me crazy. They have decided that two thriving businesses should close. Let’s put many people out of work and reduce the inflow of tax and rent revenues. For months we in Norfolk have heard that the Waterside Mall is in trouble. The City was forced to subsidize it to keep it open. Now they want to close profitable businesses?

Norfolk has targeted this bar for shutdown

The truth of the matter is that the mall management has decided they no longer want these tenants. The managemnet is a quasi governmnet authority so there is no profit motive. They will drive out two of their largest tenants in an economy where replacements will be tough to find. Any rational business person would never do something this crazy. This raises an interesting question. Is thjere a sweetheart deal in the works? I cannot wait to see who the mall management replaces these businesses with. So now two businesses who have invested in Norfolk’s future will be padlocked and driven out. Let me assure the Mayor and Council that this kind of thing will have ramifications. Businesses considering moving here will think twice. The possibility that the city will take aim on them after they establish a business will weigh heavily in their decisions.

The reason I decided to post this story here is that this is a perfect example of government gone wild. There are huge issues facing state and local governments and they are focused on this. The government needs to stay out of the private sector. They should not be managing shopping malls and they should not be running health care or banks. Period.