Editorial: Bails or boutiques: Let patrons decide

Wednesday, March 27, 2002 | 8:37 a.m.

We're all for improving the quality of downtown life, but the city of Henderson goes too far when it imposes its own absolute dreams of what's perfect and picturesque for Water Street. As part of its downtown redevelopment, the city has decided that two longtime bail bond businesses do not fit its vision of a reconstituted downtown area. Bob Wilson, manager of the Henderson downtown redevelopment agency, says: "If all we have downtown is bail bonds, counseling for drugs and that kind of thing, all the depressing things in life, we're never going to get anyone who wants to come in and sell clothes. We want people buying trinkets and getting haircuts." And Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers looks at the gun shops, bail bond businesses and smoke shops and asks: "Is this the atmosphere I want to take my family to dinner in?"

So the city is responding by giving the bail bond businesses until January to get out of downtown. This, despite the fact that the jail is staying. We say the city has the right to pass and enforce building codes and appearance standards. But choosing which legitimate businesses are fit for downtown is best left to customers.