9 ms·

Maybe the answer is not to force private companies to cover a money-losing store in a “food deserted” area but to ask the government to provide this service?!

VLM 9y ago
The way this has been traditionally handled has been weird prop tax relief and govt backed ultra low interest loan schemes. The problem is criminality is so high in some areas that no amount of property tax relief will make up for shoplifting losses. Its all water under the bridge anyway, as delivery services, amazon, etc, will make the concept of a supermarket as quaint as the concept of a record store or book store, in a couple years. I already get food delivered via amazon, I can't buy decent loose leaf tea locally or conveniently via any brick and mortar. A true government operated store would resemble the DMV; wait in line for two hours to buy a bag of rice only to be told they only provide beans at this facility and you need to fill out another form and wait in line again. Then fill out the correct form and for homeland security reasons they can only provide the beans via mail delivery to your home address. And they can't give you beans until you give them proof of homeowners insurance and cooking training classes.
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  > The problem is criminality is so high in some areas that no amount of property tax relief will make up for shoplifting losses. So subsidize it with dedicated law enforcement presence rather than tax relief. > Its all water under the bridge anyway, as delivery services, amazon, etc, will make the concept of a supermarket as quaint as the concept of a record store or book store Delivery services are also problematic in areas of high criminality.
  - sliverstorm 9y ago
    Seriously, was going to say, it might just be a matter of time before delivery services decline to service certain zip codes due to delivery truck robbery & porch theft losses. Unlike the USPS they have no mandate to serve all addresses.
  - SilasX 9y ago
    >So subsidize it with dedicated law enforcement presence rather than tax relief. I don't know how you reckon that it would be any more popular to have tax-subsidized, deputized loss prevention officers at such stores. Seems it would just feed into the outrage over "public servants stationed at Walmart?" "Tasing someone for shoplifting?" Edit: But here's an idea in the same vein: go find cash-strapped families that would benefit from a one time infusion of money to do the long-term cheaper option for grocery shopping [1]. Say, they purchase in bulk and learn how to cook and coordinate monthly supply runs (rotating for fresher items etc). They would be able to pay back a huge rate of return with just a fraction of the savings, which could then bankroll a virtuous cycle expanding the program. Why hasn't anyone tried that? Or why hasn't it worked? [1] The Vimes boot theory that is often quoted here.
- jschwartzi 9y ago
  How do you check the quality of produce items you've purchased online? If I want to buy avocados, oranges, or tomatoes, I have to trust some picker that I've never even met to know how I prefer them. Until they solve that problem I will never order produce online.
  - hueving 9y ago
    You look at them when they arrive and then complain if they suck to get a refund. The same thing you do with every other thing you order online.
    - jschwartzi 9y ago
      That's not exactly as convenient as being able to squeeze and smell produce before you buy it. If I'm ordering for dinner and my produce sucks, what is my actual recourse other than to not cook the dinner I wanted to cook?
  - bhtru 9y ago
    Would you order your other groceries online though? For a lot people in the west their diet is comprised of more than just fresh produce.
- Nicholas_C 9y ago
  >Its all water under the bridge anyway, as delivery services, amazon, etc, will make the concept of a supermarket as quaint as the concept of a record store or book store, in a couple years. Are you suggesting that grocery delivery will solve the food desert problem in poor areas?
- WalterBright 9y ago
  The PX is a government operated store on any military base. I haven't been to one since I turned 21, but they weren't that bad, though they tended to be utilitarian and rather drab.
- mnglkhn2 9y ago
  Criminality will affect Amazon's trucks also.

VLM 9y ago

The way this has been traditionally handled has been weird prop tax relief and govt backed ultra low interest loan schemes. The problem is criminality is so high in some areas that no amount of property tax relief will make up for shoplifting losses. Its all water under the bridge anyway, as delivery services, amazon, etc, will make the concept of a supermarket as quaint as the concept of a record store or book store, in a couple years. I already get food delivered via amazon, I can't buy decent loose leaf tea locally or conveniently via any brick and mortar. A true government operated store would resemble the DMV; wait in line for two hours to buy a bag of rice only to be told they only provide beans at this facility and you need to fill out another form and wait in line again. Then fill out the correct form and for homeland security reasons they can only provide the beans via mail delivery to your home address. And they can't give you beans until you give them proof of homeowners insurance and cooking training classes.

dragonwriter 9y ago
> The problem is criminality is so high in some areas that no amount of property tax relief will make up for shoplifting losses. So subsidize it with dedicated law enforcement presence rather than tax relief. > Its all water under the bridge anyway, as delivery services, amazon, etc, will make the concept of a supermarket as quaint as the concept of a record store or book store Delivery services are also problematic in areas of high criminality.
- sliverstorm 9y ago
  Seriously, was going to say, it might just be a matter of time before delivery services decline to service certain zip codes due to delivery truck robbery & porch theft losses. Unlike the USPS they have no mandate to serve all addresses.
- SilasX 9y ago
  >So subsidize it with dedicated law enforcement presence rather than tax relief. I don't know how you reckon that it would be any more popular to have tax-subsidized, deputized loss prevention officers at such stores. Seems it would just feed into the outrage over "public servants stationed at Walmart?" "Tasing someone for shoplifting?" Edit: But here's an idea in the same vein: go find cash-strapped families that would benefit from a one time infusion of money to do the long-term cheaper option for grocery shopping [1]. Say, they purchase in bulk and learn how to cook and coordinate monthly supply runs (rotating for fresher items etc). They would be able to pay back a huge rate of return with just a fraction of the savings, which could then bankroll a virtuous cycle expanding the program. Why hasn't anyone tried that? Or why hasn't it worked? [1] The Vimes boot theory that is often quoted here.
jschwartzi 9y ago
How do you check the quality of produce items you've purchased online? If I want to buy avocados, oranges, or tomatoes, I have to trust some picker that I've never even met to know how I prefer them. Until they solve that problem I will never order produce online.
- hueving 9y ago
  You look at them when they arrive and then complain if they suck to get a refund. The same thing you do with every other thing you order online.
  - jschwartzi 9y ago
    That's not exactly as convenient as being able to squeeze and smell produce before you buy it. If I'm ordering for dinner and my produce sucks, what is my actual recourse other than to not cook the dinner I wanted to cook?
- bhtru 9y ago
  Would you order your other groceries online though? For a lot people in the west their diet is comprised of more than just fresh produce.
Nicholas_C 9y ago
>Its all water under the bridge anyway, as delivery services, amazon, etc, will make the concept of a supermarket as quaint as the concept of a record store or book store, in a couple years. Are you suggesting that grocery delivery will solve the food desert problem in poor areas?
WalterBright 9y ago
The PX is a government operated store on any military base. I haven't been to one since I turned 21, but they weren't that bad, though they tended to be utilitarian and rather drab.
mnglkhn2 9y ago
Criminality will affect Amazon's trucks also.