TT comment Jun 30, 2014 - second one

From the June 30, 2014 Blade story

Mr. Mazur said the ordinance would put Toledo in line with Ohio’s other large cities in regulation of mobile food vendors.

It's annoying when government and the media play the "Other Cities" card. The Blade writer failed to report whether the mayors in those other cities bullied their food truck vendors like mayor Collins.

Anti-bullying campaigns exist for schools and the Internet. We need an anti-bullying campaign directed at Toledo government.

More from the Blade story:

Ed Becyznski, the owner of Blarney Irish Pub and Focaccia’‍s Deli in the HCR ManorCare building, said he supports having vendors on the street, but wants it limited to one day a week because of the economic impact they have on the eateries.

“I am not against them. I think it is good to have variety. But we have to make it work for everybody,” he said. “When you sit at the same spot every day, instead of moving around, you are affecting the same places.”

In my opinion, the obvious question that Becyznski should ask is:

"Why are some customers choosing a food truck over a restaurant?"

More from the Blade story:

Councilman Michael Craig agreed that a level playing field is needed to balance the concerns of the “fixed-base” restaurants and the growing mobile food business.

While both are important to downtown revitalization, Mr. Craig said restaurants have to balance fixed costs and slow periods during the winter that make the booming summer months important to their profit margins.

“The legislation is designed to make the vendors move around so they are not preying on a certain restaurant,” he said. “You have to level the playing field and spread this around. I am not totally against the mobile vendors, but we have to make it work for everybody.”

Both Becyznski and Craig used the phrase, "make it work for everybody." That phrase is a red flag.

Our preferences for many things have changed over time due to technology or what we think is convenient.

Maybe our lunch-time eating preferences are changing, and the food trucks satisfy a demand. That's business. That's life. Old phrase: Innovate or die.

But for Toledo: If you cannot innovate, whine to government for help.

I'm surprised Toledo government never tried to legislate against Craigslist for siphoning off classified ad dollars from newspapers.

The Blarney must be on life-support if food trucks are a problem.

Excerpts from some Facebook comments posted to the June 30, 2014 Blade story, which express similar thoughts, posted elsewhere in this thread:

• "If you own a brick and mortar restaurant, and you fear competition from a food truck, you're in the wrong business."

• "Maybe the brick and motar need to up their games."

• "The playing field is already level, if you put out good food at a good value people will choose your restaurant or mobile kitchen."

• "Competition is a good thing, if you're worried about food trucks hurting your business, then perhaps you should step up your game and offer something better."

• "Mayor Collins just proves how recklessly reactionary he is."

• "Its NOT the Mayor or Council's job to "level the playing field." "

• "Competition gives the consumer more choices and also eliminates inferior products in the market place!"

• "These measures are hardly leveling the playing field, but rather placing additional burdens on the vendors, and taking choices away from the people."