Mc Donald's Threatens my County Commission

[Coexist]

Sorry, Mickey D 's, fee must stay on menu

Pasco shouldn't shy away from supersizing its road-building fees just because a fast-food giant threatens to boycott the county. Borrowing a line from one of their competitors, the people at McDonald's Corp. want to have it their way.

They told Pasco County they will open no new restaurants here if the commission raises the fees it charges new businesses and homeowners for road improvements. Diners apparently will have to make do with the 13 McDonald's restaurants already operating in the county.

McDonald's isn't the first to grumble, but it is the first to go public with a boycott threat. The commission, after hearing building industry gripes about its plan to quadruple its commercial road-building fees, appointed a developer-dominated citizens panel to offer alternatives. It is reasonable to explore other options, and balancing a gasoline tax increase with higher fees is an appropriate consideration.

<snip>
The size of the road fee is worthy of discussion, but the intent is not: Development has to pay for the services it demands.

I for one, will not cry over this.

[MadHound]

1. Better roads, fewer fast food troughs, sounds like a win-win situation to me.

I hope that your county commission stands firm on this one. Screw Mickey D's. If they don't open any more restraunts, well then I guess the need will be filled by their competitors.

[lpbk2713]

2. Here's a thought ....

To make up for any shortfall, the county commission could impose a special tax to cover the cost of the litter fast food joints generate, or if they have something similar they could increase it. I always see paper cups and wrappers on the ground in close proximity to these places. These places create an eyesore and they don't bother to clean up their own mess so they should have to pay for it. Burger King and Wendy's and all the others would in turn soon be leaning on McDonald's to back off.

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. SSA

Special Services Assessment

Our Downtown Merchants pay SSAs to ensure the sidewalks are cleared of snow, ice, debris, etc. As long as they don't call it a "tax" it might just fly.

It sounds like McDs is testing the law for commercial development impact fees. It's been tested with residential impact fees already. Just the next step.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20000406/ai_n13856959
Fight to have DuPage refund road fees moves to high court
Chicago Sun-Times, Apr 6, 2000 by -DATELINE-
The Illinois Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to hear an appeal from home builders who are seeking to reclaim $6 million in road-building fees they paid DuPage County more than a decade ago. Sundance Homes, a Naperville developer, filed a class-action suit seeking a refund after part of the county's impact-fee ordinance was declared unconstitutional in 1995. A DuPage County judge ordered the county to return the fees builders had paid in 1988 and 1989, but an appeals court last year reversed that decision, prompting the appeal to the state's high court.

[Union Thug]

4. Go F*** yourself, McYukYuks n/t