Gouge The Working Man, Austin, Texas Version
Chuck DeVore writes at Forbes:
In Texas, the City of Austin just launched a radio ad campaign to inform the public that, if they charge money to haul away sticks from a neighbor's yard, they'll first need a "Hauler for Hire" license for $100, thank you very much.The $100 license is required for anyone seeking to haul away solid waste of any type--tree limbs, old couches, rocks--from an individual residence. Prior to last November, these services were unregulated by the city, allowing anyone with an old pickup truck to earn a few extra bucks if they were willing to invest some hard work into cleaning up a backyard, then taking the debris to the local landfill.
Whom is the City of Austin trying to protect with this new law? Was there a problem with unregulated stump-haulers? Were neighborhoods being ravaged by unlicensed pickup truck owners charging octogenarian widows $2,000 for taking an old refrigerator to the dump? No.
The amendment in Austin's solid waste services ordinance was subtle--simply striking one line from the existing "Private Collection Service" licensing regime that provided an exemption for "a private collection service that hauls refuse from single family residences only." In other words, garbage truck companies were licensed while the dude with the pickup truck wasn't.
There are now all sorts of onerous requirements made for the guy with the pickup truck, like vehicle requirements and the requirement that they "carry at least $1 million in combined liability auto insurance--more than 10 times the minimum state requirement for financial responsibility."
What this is about, of course, is protectionism for the big trucking companies, and never mind if some guy trying to feed his family by using his muscles and his pickup truck can no longer do that.
Also, I've seen over and over that licensed moving companies will do terribly sleazy things. They tried to do one of the dealies where they won't unload your stuff till you give them a couple more thousand dollars than you agreed on to a friend of mine. Problem: The guy's really high up in the LAPD -- a squad leader. He called out a black and white and was about to have them arrested for extortion. Whaddya know...they started unloading the truck.
via @overlawyered
I live in Austin, and I actually did this for a while back in the 80's. I was poor and had a family to feed, and on my days off from my regular job I'd clean yards and haul refuse. I didn't charge much, and I didn't make much, but it was cash money, and my wife was happy to have it.
I love living in Austin, for a variety of reasons, but lots of people here, myself included, preface the phrase "City of Austin" with the word "fucking".
I do remember working for a variety of older widow ladies. They were nice. Would always try to feed me while I was working.
roadgeek at September 25, 2015 12:22 PM
Austin was once a nice city. Then, it seems, the hipsters and SJW liberals discovered it. It's now many times the size it used to be, seemingly all immigrants from California and similar places.
I would give the refugee Californians credit for running away from their fruitcake state, if they weren't bringing the very same ideas with them that make California such a lousy place to live and work.
Can we secede now, before the fruits and nuts outnumber us in our own state? Or is it already too late?
a_random_guy at September 25, 2015 12:33 PM
Oh, the City of Austin loves regulation- much of which makes life more expensive or a pain in the ass. If the "working man" has a family, he probably can't afford a decent house in the city, anyway, so hopefully the suburb or rural area is less regulated. We live West of Austin now, but I still work downtown. The only thing I would miss about not coming here regularly would be the food.
ahw at September 25, 2015 12:51 PM
I suspect a lot of the waste removal business like a lot of the construction business in Texas, is being done by illegals.
While there may be some real concerns about poorly maintained and overloaded vehicles on the roads, they could also be concerned with illegal dumping, and they are attempting to get a handle on it, from the front end.
Not saying this is an ideal solution, but I personally would not let anyone who wasn't bonded and insured, or a family member, near my house.
Isab at September 25, 2015 1:49 PM
The current California never understood Chuck DeVore while he was here. I hope he continues to get traction in Texas.
Bolillo_SCZ at September 25, 2015 10:36 PM
Isab; that is a good point.
But, my question is this; do they follow up with those who get a license to see where they are dumping their mess?
If so, that is great. If not, then why bother with a license other than to generate revenue for the city and to keep out the little guy.
charles at September 26, 2015 1:32 PM
"Can we secede now, before the fruits and nuts outnumber us in our own state? Or is it already too?"
Oh, god no, never too late to kick Texas to the curb. Please secede and take bankrupt no-taxes Kansas with you.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 27, 2015 9:20 AM
Isab; that is a good point.
But, my question is this; do they follow up with those who get a license to see where they are dumping their mess?
If so, that is great. If not, then why bother with a license other than to generate revenue for the city and to keep out the little guy.
Posted by: charles at September 26, 2015 1:32 PM
Who knows?
but it is much easier to check for a license when you see someone loading a truck up, than it is to patrol all the back roads in the middle of the night, trying to catch people illegally dumping.
You aren't keeping out small businessmen with this kind of license, The guys who do yard maintenance as a regular job, or the neighbor who helps you out for free because you did something for him, won't be bothered.
But it will sure cut down on the fly by night scam artists casing your house for a burglary.
Isab at September 27, 2015 9:52 AM
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