Regulations Are a Burden on Texans and Their Businesses

Excessive regulations that impose huge costs on citizens for little tangible benefit have been proliferating as government grows and expands its reach into individual lives.

One example in Georgetown is the International Fire Code that the city has adopted. It is over 500 pages describing what is legal and what not is legal. It costs money for individuals and businesses to comply with limited benefit in many cases.

The resources expended complying with this onerous international code could be better spent creating jobs and expanding business.

Here is an example of the fees charged by the City for assuring compliance with the fire code.

One obvious question is: Why does the City charge fees when the salaries, benefits and equipment are funded by property taxes?

All levels of government impose regulations from cities through the federal government.TribTalk

Regulations don’t just limit freedom; they are also costly. Last year, regulations for consumers and businesses cost Americans a staggering $1.9 trillion.

To get this hidden tax under control and maximize individual liberty, the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to review all new red tape, should be used to roll back several abusive, unnecessarily expensive and ineffective regulations. For example:

• The Clean Power Plan: The costliest remaining Obama-era rule, the CPP would cost at a minimum $7 billion a year, according to our analysis. Other groups have come up with even higher cost estimates. This rule imposed new restrictions on carbon emissions from power plants that many believe was intended to be a death blow to the coal industry. Aside from increasing electricity-rates by nearly 20 percent, the rule has been estimated to cost, at minimum, 300,000 jobs.

• The Waters of the U.S. Rule: As egregious a rule as has ever been issued, WOTUS would redefine “navigable waterways” in such a manner to incorporate freestanding drainage water, ponds and rain water to potential regulatory action. This would have an outsized and significantly negative impact on Texas farmers’ and ranchers’ property rights.

• DOE’s Regulations on Utilities: In 2015, the Department of Energy issued rules relating to energy usage for a host of household and business appliances — these include fluorescent lights, ceiling fans and vending machines. The total cost of these regulations amounts to $1.6 billion annually.

There are many instances where regulations can be reduced or eliminated to the benefit of the American economy. Let your elected officials know this is an area ripe for reduction.