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May 4, 2008 - 6:28PM
Stop the madness, start the dancing
Comments | RecommendTribune Editorial
Pinal County's harassment of the San Tan Flat steakhouse needs to come to an immediate stop.
San Tan Flat dispute heads to courthouse
Last week, Superior Court Judge William O'Neil saw through Pinal County's farce of claiming the restaurant was an illegal outdoor dance hall simply because some customers shuffle their feet while listening to perfectly legal country songs on the courtyard patio. Dragging out a 60-year-old - and most likely unconstitutional - ordinance in an attempt to shut down the music has made Pinal County a laughingstock across the country.
But this blatant abuse of government power has serious consequences, as the county threatened to put father-and-son owners Dale and Spencer Bell out of business. O'Neil grasped the implications so clearly he ruled against Pinal County directly from his bench instead of waiting the usual days or weeks to issue an opinion in writing.
"When a local government restricts freedoms, it's a dangerous thing," the judge said.
Pinal County leveled huge fines under this dance hall rubric after county officials seriously limited San Tan Flat's road access and signage, and repeatedly sent inspectors to check everything including the firewood and noise levels. Two years of oppression have come at the behest of some nearby residents who once welcomed the restaurant with open arms but claim they were fooled by the Bells and wound up with a place that offers too much song and whiskey.
It's time for these neighbors to face up to their own prejudices and misconceptions instead of relying on Pinal County to harass San Tan Flat on their behalf.
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