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It sounds like their preferred method of financing city government (being a speed trap on I-35) goes back at least 50 years - here's an interesting article from

It sounds like their preferred method of financing city government (being a speed trap on I-35) goes back at least 50 years - here's an interesting article from 1974 about Selma, TX, which is on the other side of San Antonio, but also on I-35. https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-perfect-speed-trap/ https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-perfect-speed-trap...

Ididntdothis 7y ago
Relying on speed traps seems a terrible way of financing a city. I can’t imagine this being stable. If people start speeding less (which should be the purpose of speed traps) what are they going to do?
- dsfyu404ed 7y ago
  Yes, everyone hates speed trap towns (rightfully IMO.) The schadenfreude of small government failing to produce a thriving city with that particular cherry on top is why this is on the front page. If this city had connected to the sewer, got a Walmart and become a normal and forgettable suburb other than its tax rate nobody would be interested in its story but because the insistence on low taxes and small government created what many here would consider bad results it is of interest.
  - hedvig 7y ago
    Yes, and it deserves to be pointed out, no?
- Hamuko 7y ago
  >I can’t imagine this being stable That doesn't seem to be their concern, since the mayor planned on removing the property tax completely and then relying solely on sales tax.
- mindslight 7y ago
  Find some other pretext to commit literal highway robbery? Plant drugs, charge victims court "user fees", etc. They might have a moral leg to stand on if they actually had build the road themselves, rather than just grifting an existing interstate. Reading the article, my alarm bells went off as soon as they bragged of parking a broken cruiser on the highway, as if that is a worthwhile endeavor for small government. There seems to be some unfortunate corollary whereby pushes for freedom end up attracting the worst types of authoritarians seeking a blank slate for their own rules.

Ididntdothis 7y ago

Relying on speed traps seems a terrible way of financing a city. I can’t imagine this being stable. If people start speeding less (which should be the purpose of speed traps) what are they going to do?

dsfyu404ed 7y ago
Yes, everyone hates speed trap towns (rightfully IMO.) The schadenfreude of small government failing to produce a thriving city with that particular cherry on top is why this is on the front page. If this city had connected to the sewer, got a Walmart and become a normal and forgettable suburb other than its tax rate nobody would be interested in its story but because the insistence on low taxes and small government created what many here would consider bad results it is of interest.
- hedvig 7y ago
  Yes, and it deserves to be pointed out, no?
Hamuko 7y ago
>I can’t imagine this being stable That doesn't seem to be their concern, since the mayor planned on removing the property tax completely and then relying solely on sales tax.
mindslight 7y ago
Find some other pretext to commit literal highway robbery? Plant drugs, charge victims court "user fees", etc. They might have a moral leg to stand on if they actually had build the road themselves, rather than just grifting an existing interstate. Reading the article, my alarm bells went off as soon as they bragged of parking a broken cruiser on the highway, as if that is a worthwhile endeavor for small government. There seems to be some unfortunate corollary whereby pushes for freedom end up attracting the worst types of authoritarians seeking a blank slate for their own rules.