Opinions

4 – The University Star

Caps on permits unhealthy for thriving city

Hollie O'Connor, staropinion@txstate.edu
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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Main Point
the

C ity Council bought a terribly crafted

new logo and tag-line last fall. The
colors and font looked dated, and
the copy read, “San Marcos, We’d love your
company.”
Place 5, said he thought fewer than seven
unrestricted permits should be issued. His
reasons are bars would lower the admit-
tance age to 18, compromising San Marcos’
safety and reputation.
permits are left unchecked. Letting the free
market reign will keep downtown from be-
coming oversaturated with bars and keep
it thriving with healthy competition. The
added revenue from new businesses would
result. Jones and Thomason voted to ex-
tend the bar hours from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m.
last May, because they believed it would
increase revenue for the city.
The council should continue their
The editorial board would like to add a Councilmember Chris Jones, Place 4, ar- allow for repairing streets and remodeling tendency towards policy that promotes
few words to the end of that slogan to re- gued for a more reasonable 14 unrestricted old buildings downtown — if anything, San business and economic prosperity in San
flect a potential ordinance change. The new permits. Marcos would improve its reputation as a Marcos. Cheers, Porterfield. You are on the
one should read, “San Marcos, We’d love Councilmember Kim Porterfield, Place 1, modern, thriving city. right track.
your company ... unless you’re a bar.” is the only one who got it right. Porterfield Permit caps should be out of the ques-
City Council is considering putting a cap said the local economy would benefit most tion for a council so concerned with grow-
on the number of restricted and unrestrict- from not placing caps on permits in the ing the local economy. Bringing business to The Main Point is the opinion of the
ed alcohol permits allowed downtown. Re- first place. The editorial board agrees. San Marcos has been a reoccurring theme newspaper’s editorial board. Columns
stricted permits are meant for restaurants There are more than 30,000 students at- in recent councils. Laws limiting business are the opinions of the writer and do not
and allow the businesses to sell alcohol tending Texas State, the majority of which are not only reactionary, but contradictory necessarily reflect the opinions of the
provided they serve at least three entrees are of drinking age. Bars are the most to previous council decisions. full staff, Texas State University-San
every four hours. Unrestricted permits are popular attraction in the downtown area. It Remember, Jones and Thomason also Marcos Student Media, the School of
meant for bars and have no food require- only makes sense to capitalize on the uni- voted to give tax incentives to Carma, the Journalism and Mass Communication
ment. versity’s demographic. developers of the controversial Paso Robles or Texas State University-San Marcos.
According to a Jan. 20 University Star Thomason is wrong in thinking San neighborhood, because of the property
article, Councilmember Ryan Thomason, Marcos’ reputation will be compromised if tax revenue that would be generated as a

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