>On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council passed a "nuisance abatement" ordinance allowing Police Chief U. Renee Hall to identify properties that tolerate criminal

>On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council passed a "nuisance abatement" ordinance allowing Police Chief U. Renee Hall to identify properties that tolerate criminal activity and try to get the owners to address it. A carwash shut down because it "attracted the criminal element." Not likely the proximate cause, if the owner made such an effort to run them off. Ignoring personal rights and the legal responsibilities (or lack thereof) of the police, as a matter of public policy, this just seems to be backwards thinking. This policy will just make poor and crime ridden areas even less attractive for commercial investment, and even more poor and crime ridden. Think food deserts are bad? How about entire retail deserts.