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The Las Manitas Loan

News8Austin: City gives Las Manitas $750,000 forgivable loan

Of course, if you went to every resident in Austin and asked them why they gave the restaurant hundreds of thousands of dollars, they'd give you a blank stare and ask what the hell you were talking about. "We" did no such thing. I realize news organizations have space and time requirements to keep in mind when publishing, but this stuff bugs the hell out of me.

Las Manitas restaurant will get the money needed to relocate, remodel and stay in downtown Austin.

Austin City Council members voted Thursday to grant the owners, Cynthia and Lydia Perez, a $750,000 forgivable loan that does not have to be repaid if certain requirements are met for a set time period.

Copyright ©2007TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin


I am occasionally asked by friends and family why I don't bother running for office to combat the things I dislike in government. Well, if I did (or was elected), I'd have no choice but to call this entire enterprise local bullshit community-pandering socialist meddling of the lamest order.

Or something like that.

I don't care if an Austin Institution With Decades Of Dedicated Community Ties To The Local Art/Food/Music Scene is about to be bought out and converted to a Mega McDonalds. When a government pulls shit like this, I see nothing but a lightly disguised cash transfer from individuals to the owners of Las Manitas, a cash transfer that could not have occurred without the threat of (and examples of actually applied) police violence to those who did not want to "contribute their fair share," as the fraudulently disingenuous sometimes say. Theft is not OK and that doesn't change when the funds would be used to benefit beloved local businesses.

To their credit, there were two city council members who voted against the loan: Sheryl Cole and Lee Leffingwell. Also to their credit, a slim majority of poll-takers agree with me and don't think the restaurant should have received anything.

Posted by drizzten on June 7, 2007 06:40 PM |

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