One of the many downsides of government regulation of business is that rules can be enforced in ways that satisfy their alleged purpose, or they can be used selectively and abusively to punish entrepreneurs who offend officials. In many cases, without open threats, business owners have a good idea that the bureaucracy has been weaponized to push them to fall into line in ways that please the powerful. That’s the case with food truck owners in Philadelphia who found that inspectors took a special interest in them after they publicly opposed a new business curfew.
Closing Businesses and Fomenting Opposition
In 2024, Democratic Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker signed into law a bill that “requires businesses without liquor licenses located between Kensington and Frankford venues and Lehigh Avenue and Tioga Street to close at night from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.”
“In order to get control of the neighborhood, we need to temporarily limit after hour operation for the businesses in this neighborhood,” insisted Democratic City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who cited public safety and quality of life concerns.
But temporary turned out to be anything but when Parker this month allowed the curfew to be continued and extended beyond its original boundaries. The Institute for Justice (I.J.), which partnered with businesses opposed to the curfew, estimates the newly restricted area to be roughly 500 percent larger than the old one. Penalties for violations doubled from $500 to $1,000 per day…