Editorial: Sunday closure is a useless ordinance

Thursday, April 19, 2001 | 8:38 a.m.

The Clark County Commission displayed inane meddling this week when it required new car dealerships to stay closed on Sundays. New car dealers had sought the ordinance, saying that they wanted to give employees at least Sunday off during the week. But then why would a new ordinance be needed since these dealers universally shut down on Sundays anyway? The real answer is that dealers fear the prospect of new dealerships entering the market and being open on Sundays, which might force them to stay open as well.

Commissioner Erin Kenny also said that the ordinance would help residents who live near car dealerships, giving them at least a one-day respite from the traffic that car lots create. Well, all those other residents who live near supermarkets, casinos, malls and other businesses, which are open on Sundays, could probably use a break, too, but you don't see the commission restricting those businesses. For that matter, the ordinance allows used car dealers to stay open on Sundays. If the commission really was concerned about residents being impacted by traffic, they would ensure that zoning wouldn't allow car lots to be placed so close to residential areas in the first place.

In a perfect world, everyone would work 9-to-5, Monday through Friday. But that isn't the case in our tourist-based economy, where casinos are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Nearly all service-oriented businesses and many retail establishments are open seven days a week also. If new car dealers want to stay closed on Sundays, more power to them. But the county shouldn't arbitrarily restrict other dealers who one day may want to open on Sundays.