Homelessness, violent crime, and infighting at City Hall are just a few of the problems plaguing Santa Ana right now. But some city leaders would like to take a moment to turn their attention to the pressing issue of… taco trucks.
Under an ordinance proposed last week, every food truck operator in the city would have to obtain a business license and would be prohibited from operating within 500 feet of public properties such as parks or schools. Proponents say it’s designed to address the very real health and public safety problems associated with these trucks of greasy goodness.Skeptics believe it’s a veiled attempt to regulate them out of existence—again.
This would be the fourth time that Santa Ana tried to crack down on its food truck craze. It runs into problems every time it tries, especially in light of the city’s large Hispanic population.
Alas, it appears the fourth time is not a charm. After a predictable uproar, the council has decided to delay a hearing on the proposed ordinance. However, media outlets are still receiving reports of stepped up citations on vendors even in the absence of new rules.
Santa Ana just can’t seem to keep its hands off these taco trucks, so it probably won’t be long before they try something again. It’s a completely different tack than that taken by Los Angeles, which just decriminalized street vending in response to Donald Trump.