BillHobbs.com is a frequently updated blog of original reporting and commentary by Bill Hobbs, a longtime Nashville journalist and media relations adviser. I am currently serving as communications director for the Tennessee Republican Party, a job I began on Oct. 29, 2007.
By Nathan Moore
Or not, as some in the Metro Council are voting to put the kabash on roadside food stands. The alleged reasons are sanitation and hygeine. Brittany of Nashville is Talking, with her crack research staff, puts the crack research staff of the Metro Council and such a generalization to shame. Looking up "mobile" in the database found at the Tennessee Department. of Health website, the list came back with 17 results in Davidson County - their average health score was 94.5. There are apparently more without "mobile" in their names, but there is no reason to believe that this cross-sampling is somehow flawed. Of particular note, business that had both "mobile" and "taco" or an otherwise Hispanic name in their name scored an average of 91.2, hardly a health hazard. The Council's claim is that trailers score in the 60-70% range. The common problems noted are no bathrooms and leaking pipes, as well as standard outdoor food problems in the summer time.
So what, is the Council going to outlaw family picnics? Hardly.
Needless to say, family favorites like the Cracker Barrel within walking distance of my house did not fare as well, many scoring in the 70s. What gives?
This is absurdly heavy-handed legislation that would do nothing more than destroy the livelihoods of hard working entrepreneurial people. Anyone who has ever owned a business can empathize with this, taco or otherwise.
"I could care less about who they are," Councilman Buck Dozier said of the operators. "This is about health. This is about rodents, dirty water, and food not prepared at the proper temperature."
A lovely thing to say. The taco stand average scores of 91.2 I found therefore must have rodents, dirty water and bad food. With that in mind, I don't even want to know what that Cracker Barrel has going on in the back.
(Can you change the spelling of my name to Brittney? My stupid mom spelled it wrong.)
Posted by: brittney at November 15, 2005 2:34 PM
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