The city coffers are drained. We can't afford parks, festivals, city employees. The mayor is asking for a revenue increase. But a group of self-appointed busy bodies want to spend my tax money fighting what is sure to be a losing battle because they are prudes.
GRAND RAPIDS -- When Judy Rose asked the city to oppose an adult-oriented business in the Black Hills neighborhood, Mayor George Heartwell asked her to back it up with money for the fight.
Rose, head of the Southwest Side neighborhood, was to announce today she can do that.
Joined by self-proclaimed "smut-buster" Dar VanderArk of Grand Rapids-based Michigan Decency Action Council, Rose said she has pledges of $93,000 from area business owners for the fight to regulate a proposed nude night club and adult retail store in her neighborhood.
The city says it needs $100,000 in a legal fund before it would pass any ordinance regulating adult-oriented businesses.
She was to make the announcement today at a press conference at Adelante High School, backed by VanderArk and residents concerned about the proposed club at 234 Market Ave. SW, owned by Mark London.
London was not impressed.
"You get these loons out there on certain issues like abortion, affirmative action, my business, and there is no calming these nuts down," he said. "They'll do a petition or try to raise money. They don't believe in the laws. But America is for everybody, and it bothers me when people want to exclude different groups. This is constitutionally protected free speech."
The city has been through this before.
When the Velvet Touch Adult Bookstore opened in 2001 on 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids engaged in and lost a four-year legal battle to close its doors. The city had to pay $125,000 in attorney fees.
This isn't a fight to close it's doors, only to regulate certain behaviors. The club will still exist, so, what's the point here?
According to the ordinance, nudity is prohibited, semi-nudity is allowed if employees remain six feet from patrons, and physical contact is prohibited. Adult book stores with peep shows cannot have doors blocking vision.
"No one is saying you can't go in and look; it takes away the illicit activity that goes on. It's also a public health and safety issue," VanderArk said.
So the titty bars are OK if you just "look". Gotcha.
Also involved in this fight are the fun folks at the American Family Association. From WZZM13-
However, in a letter to Mayor Heartwell, the "American Family
Association of Michigan" volunteered to pay for and represent the city in court.
City Commissioner Rick Tormala says the city must represent itself, "It's gonna be our name on there when he sues us for liability purposes it's gonna have to be our legal staff our there defending. We certainly will take any support we can get financial or otherwise but the strategy is gonna have to be okay by our city attorney and backed by the will of this commission."
Seeing as how this piece of property is in the "mysterious development area", this all might be a futile exercise anyway- for now. I'm sure London will try to find another spot. If we are going to be this big convention town, places like this are going to exist.
I'm not thrilled with the exploitation of nude women (or men for that matter). Seems a bit juvenile to me. But different strokes, ya know- I don't give a damn what people want to do. Obviously the audience is there, the performers are willing and make damn good livings doing this, so why not? If you don't like 'em, don't go. Stay out of other people's lives and choices.
Don't spend my tax money on a futile fight, and then turn around and cut more city services.