Deer Feeding Ordinance

It appears the City Council is going to institute an ordinance against feeding deer on your own private property within the City.  The second reading of the ordinance will occur at the next Council meeting.  In the discussion of the proposed ordinance at the last Council meeting it was disclosed that the decision to charge any citizen with a violation rested entirely and solely with the animal control officer.  This seems like significant discretion to be delegating to a single un-elected bureaucrat.  Secondly, the discussion at the Council disclosed that the Council expected no enforcement of this ordinance unless there was a complaint lodged against an individual ( We hope you do not live next door to the neighbor from Hell).  It was also revealed during the discussion that the animal control officer was currently very busy and if significant number of complaints were generated by this ordinance, more staff would have to be added to the City.

This ordinance seems like a perfect candidate for an automatic "sunset" provision.  For example, if at least three complaints and one fine are not generated within the next year, the ordinance would automatically expire.  Other parameters could be incorporated as well.  Since there is no data for the City of Georgetown that indicates a Public Health and Safety issue with feeding of deer, the ordinance should be removed from the City regulations if a documented issue for the City does not exist.  The passage of ordinances sans data, incomplete data, or bogus data, is exactly how the Federal Government operates through the EPA, BLM, and Fish & Wildlife when they intrude on our personal lives and restrict our liberty and freedom.

Contact your City Council person and let them know they should not be passing regulations unless there is good, solid empirical evidence of a problem.  But, if they do pass ordinances without solid data, it should include an automatic sunset provision in the absence of solid data.

FIGHT REGULATORY BLOAT!