City tows junk cars

[WuShockFan]

I'm curious what the "conservatives" on SN think about this story:
http://www.kansas.com/news/story/446961.html.

It's a story about Wichita city authorities towing cars with "flat tires" and cars that look "run down". Do conservatives think this is a violation of private property rights? I'm not very conservative, but I strongly support private property rights. City shouldn't be able to tow cars because they are inoperable or have flat tires. Please tell me I can find common ground with conservatives on this issue.

Thanks

[WuDrWu]

This seems a common sense issue to me. The owners were cited previously and given an opportunity to fix the problem. It the vast majority of cases, it would take little more than effort to address the problem.

I realize I am in the minority when I say that if they round up 19 "problems" and 1 honest mistake after due diligence, I have no problem with the 1 honest mistake having to do a little work to make it good.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

I realize I am in the minority when I say that if they round up 19 "problems" and 1 honest mistake after due diligence, I have no problem with the 1 honest mistake having to do a little work to make it good.

I agree with you Doc you are in the minority.


Just kidding. BUt seriously people screw up. Its just when people KEEP screwing up even after they are told they screw up is the problem.

[RoyalShock]

If there is a city ordinance being violated, that ordinance should dictate the process by which the city deals with violators. If the ordinance is old it may be somewhat vague in that area. I think a prudent course of action is to warn the violators and give them a period of time, depending on the nature of the violation, to come into compliance or suffer the consequences outlined in the ordinance.

If the ordinance is too strict, citizens should ask their council representatives to rewrite the ordinance.

This is where the idea of community standards comes into play. If the community doesn't want disabled automobiles in plain sight, it is within their rights to enact ordinances to enforce standards. If citizens do not like the standards, they are free to move somewhere more to their liking.

As a conservative, I have no problem with ordinances designed to prevent property devaluation. Having tall grass, disabled grass or unkept property will devalue all property in that area. Hence, one person can be harmed when another does not maintain their property.

[KC Shox]

Hell yes! Get those eyesores off the freakin street. I'm tired of people not taking pride and being responsible in the property they own. Look up the Broken Window Theory it should help.

Three things, the Police gave them warnings to do something about it, they didn't. If the community as a whole or it's representatives filed a specific complaint to the Community Policing Division of the WPD, the WPD is obligated to address the situation. Lastly, if your neighbors had eyesores parked out in front of your street for extended periods of time with these knucklehead owners not doing a damn thing about it, you would be happy to see the Police solving the problem for you.

[Ixiah]

As a conservative, I have no problem with ordinances designed to prevent property devaluation. Having tall grass, disabled grass or unkept property will devalue all property in that area. Hence, one person can be harmed when another does not maintain their property.

Just curious - do you support jail/prison time for such inaction? Frequently the people that have these problems are the elderly and this becomes a sticky issue. A recent article mentioned an 86 year old sent to prison for failure to do his yard work!

http://www.news8.net/news/stories/1207/482254.html

FWIW - I always favored the fine or in severe situations the work is done for you (at your expense).

[SubGod22]

I have no problem with action being taken. They were warned and did nothing. If they're elderly and can't do it themselves they should find someone who will help them out. Being lazy isn't an excuse. We had an issue like this in my little town where I believe the city started issuing some nice fines on those who refused to do anything. If the city had to cut your grass you were billed for the work and may have been fined on top of that.

[RoyalShock]

Jail time for violations of property ordinances is rediculous. I suspect the ordinance the elderly man violated wasn't specific enough in regards to enforcement, giving a judge too much latitude.

I agree with your last sentence.

[rrshock]

I have no problem with action being taken. They were warned and did nothing. If they're elderly and can't do it themselves they should find someone who will help them out. Being lazy isn't an excuse. We had an issue like this in my little town where I believe the city started issuing some nice fines on those who refused to do anything. If the city had to cut your grass you were billed for the work and may have been fined on top of that.

Same with my little town. An ordinance was made because a few individuals let their yards start looking like salvage yards. We have had to write a few ordinances because a few people won't take the time to clean up their properties. You can't have a house with a salvage yard next to a $165,000 house, which we had. As for the mowing, the city can actually go as far as putting a lien against the property when they have to take care of it. That is being done in my town to a couple of properties. One house has gone so far, that there will be condemnation hearings and we're gonna tear the house down and remove it.

As for the cars, I think it is fine. They were warned. They had their chance. They will suffer the consequences. Especially if those vehicles didn't have current tags on them.

I think the car removal has stemmed from the recent rash of arson fires in Wichita. There were some unused vehicles torched in the SE part of town earlier this year. Along with some unused eyesores called houses. I think that the city might be afraid of more of that happening as well. Plus by just starting in one part, hopefully it wakes up the rest of the city and the rest will take care of the problem.

[dregn]

As a conservitive...i.e. government out of peoples lives... I do not think it is right. As a property owner/member of society I'm fine with it. I think they should have the freedom to do what they want, but we don't live in the country or world where that is allowed, as much as anyone would like to think we do.

[RoyalShock]

dregn, would you be fine with it if your neighbor kept a junked-out car next to your property and a family of skunks decided to move in?

What if your neighborhood became infested with all kinds of insects and rodents because your neighbor wouldn't mow his lawn?

Would it be alright if your neighbor's kids were in their yard at 2am blasting their music so that you couldn't sleep?

You are protected from all those things through ordinances. I agree with you about government intrusion, but ordinances are meant to protect people and property and are necessary if a community wants to maintain any type of standard.

[rrshock]

I hate the government telling us what we can and can't do as much as anyone else. But I also feel that it is necessary for there to be ordinances, or I'm afraid one neighbor might just kill the other because of the was people are so inconsiderate of others.

Were any of these cars parked on the street by chance? If so, the city had every right to remove them then.

[Ixiah]

You are protected from all those things through ordinances. I agree with you about government intrusion, but ordinances are meant to protect people and property and are necessary if a community wants to maintain any type of standard.

Ordinanaces are nothing compared to homeowners associations. My niece and her husband bought into a community with one. If they only knew what they were in for. :o . Lets see, must have so many shrubs, lawn mowed at a certain height, no laundry outdoors (i.e. clothslines), certain types of pets banned, the list goes on and on. What's sad is these were not viewable when you purchase the home but are rather 'made available at the courthouse'.

[engrshock]

I hate the government telling us what we can and can't do as much as anyone else. But I also feel that it is necessary for there to be ordinances, or I'm afraid one neighbor might just kill the other because of the was people are so inconsiderate of others.

Were any of these cars parked on the street by chance? If so, the city had every right to remove them then.

Many times the government telling us what we can and cannot do is based upon what people basically want. Our government as a democracy represents the people and if not we can vote them out and get new representatives.

In this regard a junk car sitting in a yard or on jackstands in the street for years is basically something that most people do not want in their neighborhoods.

[rrshock]

Funny thing about homeowners associations, they aren't enforceable by law. From what I have heard from police officers, they can't do anything to you to enforce the things. If they really want to, they have to take you to civil court.