Commentary

The Long Arm of the Law

I’m sure you heard the story about the 6-year old girl in Naples, Florida who opened a lemonade stand for the summer and had it shut down by the police…recently the city has decided to waive the permits and licenses she would have needed (along with the fee, charged for each day the stand is open). What the stories aren’t telling you though, is that Abagail is no longer allowed to charge for her service. Rather, she has to provide the service for free and ask for a tip! The city playing “nice guy,” the press, and just about everyone else has lost sight of the big picture Ultimately, this story, while cute and somewhat funny (especially considering it made national news!) tells a much bigger picture, that is, how difficult it is to be entrepreneurial while facing a myriad of rules and regulations. Imagine what an easier, more business friendly (especially to 6-year olds) climate could do for the economy. Ah, dare to dream!