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Atlanta’s street vendors fight back against the municipal government’s attempt to force them into kiosks.
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If America is going to generate jobs it's gonna come from entrepreneurs and small businesses.
So why so many local governments pass regulations that actually harm them.
And Atlanta Georgia where the unemployment rate is nine point 9%.
The city has been pushing independent street vendors out of business.
But now they're facing a legal challenge from the Institute for Justice who put together this -- Atlanta handed over all spending on public land to a single company.
This monopoly is slowly shutting down once independent vendors and replacing them with kiosks.
The area outside Turner Field where Larry Miller has sold Atlanta Braves here for 25 years is next for me to have a kiosk.
Instead of must regular set up it would mean destruction it would destroy -- bitterness.
It would destroy my business here to discuss the case of the attorney.
In this case Robert from.
-- did Larry did you ever think that the government of the city.
Where you sell so many goods to so many people would someday try and wipe you out of business.
No not like this I never thought they would make a move like this.
And and did they talk to you.
Or talk to your fellow vendors.
In in an effort to reason with you or did they just come and -- -- and say you know what.
This property is ours and even though you've been paying his rent we can make more Rand from the people in those kiosks would -- so you have to go.
No we had no input in it it was done about that late mayor Shirley Franklin.
She brought these people and then so.
They've made the move -- decided that they wanted to put kiosks out then and put us on them.
What's the S cities argument Robert I mean clearly this is.
Free enterprise at its height there's a great market for it He pays the city rent for his -- How -- they command and and shut him down like this without being responsible for the loss of business that they visited upon.
Well that's exactly right -- the whole point here is that the city of Atlanta.
Is throwing entrepreneur orders like Larry out of business in favor of vote in power to create a government sponsored monopoly.
And when this monopoly roles in either have you have two choices either work for them or you don't work at all.
Larry what would happen if Atlanta forces you to surrender that table.
Where people can actually come up and take the happen try and I'm in chat with you and you can -- it's with them.
And put you inside of a kiosk what would become of your business.
If they forced you to do what they want you to do.
We're presently.
I have about six people worker for me I would have to let all of them go.
Majority of those people -- my family.
They would take a food of my David it would destroy my business to kiosks would actually become op profit.
It would be -- -- me.
Robert is this happening nationwide.
Local governments looking for more money.
Pushing small business folks like Larry -- a business in return for larger corporations that will pay more rent.
And build these kiosks and operate from kiosks instead of tables and carts.
Well this is the first program of its kind anywhere in the country.
But unfortunately cities across the nation are putting anti competitive restrictions on venting.
In a recent report that we ruled the Institute for Justice released entitled streets of dreams but we've looked at -- in the top fifty US cities.
And 45 of them had one or more regulations.
That put real barriers in the way of honest.
Vendors what what's the status of the cases is He still able to operate.
During the lawsuit literacy out of -- until a judge shuts the city down and send him back there.
Well for the time being.
He's in business and that's part of the problem is that we don't know when this monopoly is gonna come in.
And throw Larry and the other vendors out and put up these kiosks.
And every day that they work it might be their last and but -- here.
Fighting for Larry fighting for the under other vendors.
And fighting for the rights of all entrepreneurs across the nation Larry I want you and your fellow vendor to know that you have friends here at freedom watch it will be watching this case for you.
Larry Miller and Roberts Roberts thanks very much for joining us -- Thank you be a federal gas tax.
