Jacksonville Food Trucks: New Legislation is Needed

[Metro Jacksonville]

Jacksonville Food Trucks: New Legislation is Needed



The proposed food truck legislation is being touted as a success. In this op-ed, Arash Kamiar writes why he thinks the legislation is a significant failure and outlines at least six policy initiatives food truckers should want to see implemented.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-sep-jacksonville-food-trucks-new-legislation-is-needed

[strider]

The ordinance in question has been enacted by City Council.  I guess it will be law shortly unless the Mayor vetoes it.  I suspect that is not likely.  It is a bad ordinance powered by money and influence that the food truck people obviously did not have.  The language is purposefully misleading and attempts at seeming to be good for the food trucks while all but insuring their failure. Which I wonder is not the real point of this.  By insuring the failure of new ideas, do they not insure the continuation of the Status Quo? Are not people getting richer off the Status Quo? Why then would our established politicians and older leadership want forward progress?

[Charles Hunter]

Anybody know who voted for/against the bill?  I had no luck searching the COJ website.

[mbwright]

We are from the government, we are here to help you.....

[Bolles_Bull]

If you cant serve better food out of a kitchen then what is being cooked up in a truck, youve got your own set of problems you need to deal with.  Geez...

[Noone]

The ordinance in question has been enacted by City Council.  I guess it will be law shortly unless the Mayor vetoes it.  I suspect that is not likely.  It is a bad ordinance powered by money and influence that the food truck people obviously did not have.  The language is purposefully misleading and attempts at seeming to be good for the food trucks while all but insuring their failure. Which I wonder is not the real point of this.  By insuring the failure of new ideas, do they not insure the continuation of the Status Quo? Are not people getting richer off the Status Quo? Why then would our established politicians and older leadership want forward progress?

+1

[RyeRyeRocco]

As a food truck owner, I attended some of these meetings. Now that the council has the draft, they are adding to it. The trucks no longer have a voice and if they do it's the leader of the JFT. A pay for play outfit that says it represents all trucks, but doesn't. (Different story for a different time). Jacksonville will protect the rights of B&Ms until they are blue in the face. We will never lead the way. This city is bad for small business. We are penalized because our business is on wheels.

[TheCat]

@ryeryerocco, is "JFT" Jax Truckies?

[RyeRyeRocco]

@ryeryerocco, is "JFT" Jax Truckies?

no, JFT is Jacksonville Food Trucks and you have to pay dues and they take a percentage of sales from what I saw on the membership packet. Jax Truckies is 100% free. They promote all trucks in Jax. You just have to have all of your licensing/insurance up to date.

[ChriswUfGator]

As a food truck owner, I attended some of these meetings. Now that the council has the draft, they are adding to it. The trucks no longer have a voice and if they do it's the leader of the JFT. A pay for play outfit that says it represents all trucks, but doesn't. (Different story for a different time). Jacksonville will protect the rights of B&Ms until they are blue in the face. We will never lead the way. This city is bad for small business. We are penalized because our business is on wheels.

You're correct, this city is brutal for small business. Odd for a mayor who constantly preaches job growth and small government...

[ronchamblin]

As a food truck owner, I attended some of these meetings. Now that the council has the draft, they are adding to it. The trucks no longer have a voice and if they do it's the leader of the JFT. A pay for play outfit that says it represents all trucks, but doesn't. (Different story for a different time). Jacksonville will protect the rights of B&Ms until they are blue in the face. We will never lead the way. This city is bad for small business. We are penalized because our business is on wheels.

You're correct, this city is brutal for small business. Odd for a mayor who constantly preaches job growth and small government...

The contention that this city is "brutal for small business" is interesting. 

The other suggestion that "this city is bad for small business" is also interesting. 

The latter obviously refers to the FT issue.  Leaving the FT issue aside, would you suggest that the "city is bad for small business"?  If so, how so?  Of course, it is possible that, outside of the FT issue, you might not believe the general statement about this city is true ... which is understandable.

My reason for asking is that I've been in business in this city for almost forty years and cannot remember any condition or requirement from the city that would cause me to make the general statement ... "this city is bad for small business".       

[RyeRyeRocco]

Ron- anytime a city regulates business, that's bad for business.

[ChriswUfGator]

As a food truck owner, I attended some of these meetings. Now that the council has the draft, they are adding to it. The trucks no longer have a voice and if they do it's the leader of the JFT. A pay for play outfit that says it represents all trucks, but doesn't. (Different story for a different time). Jacksonville will protect the rights of B&Ms until they are blue in the face. We will never lead the way. This city is bad for small business. We are penalized because our business is on wheels.

You're correct, this city is brutal for small business. Odd for a mayor who constantly preaches job growth and small government...

The contention that this city is "brutal for small business" is interesting. 

The other suggestion that "this city is bad for small business" is also interesting. 

The latter obviously refers to the FT issue.  Leaving the FT issue aside, would you suggest that the "city is bad for small business"?  If so, how so?  Of course, it is possible that, outside of the FT issue, you might not believe the general statement about this city is true ... which is understandable.

My reason for asking is that I've been in business in this city for almost forty years and cannot remember any condition or requirement from the city that would cause me to make the general statement ... "this city is bad for small business".       

The way they've treated small business owners with dart raids for no reason, re-zoning them out of existence, code enforcement harassment, and then the way they've treated pretty much every restaurant that's tried to open up in riverside lately to name a few things, has given me that impression.

[ronchamblin]

Ron- anytime a city regulates business, that's bad for business.

I have to work today, but for now ... until insomnia strikes at 2:00 a.m., I will only suggest that the statement ... "Anytime a city regulates business, that's bad for business." ... is not a true statement.  There are indeed occasions when a city should ... must ... regulate. 

Forgive me please for my opinion, as it is not aligned with yours.  Our freedom to express our opinions on MJ is why I enjoy MJ ... and why it is such a wonderful platform for discussion in our city.

[Foodonwheels]

IMO
There is no ROI with them.  When you have an organization like Jax Truckies promoting the trucks, locations and events for free.
Why would anyone not only pay a membership fee but also give up a percentage of their sales?

They are sealing their fate today by aligning itself with the big boys in the fight with craft brewery's.
In the long run we will see, but their choice has been made.