AN AMENDMENT TO ALBUQUERQUE’S FOOD TRUCK RULES IS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL MONDAY NIGHT. FOOD TRUCKS NO LONGER HAVE TO PARK 100 FEET FROM BRICK-AND-MORTAR RESTAURANTS UNDER RULES APPROVED LAST SEPTEMBER. OPERATORS SAID IT FORCED A LOT OF THEM TO CLOSE DOWN.
COUNCILOR ISAAC BENTON PROPOSED CHANGING THE RULE TO 75 FEET.. AND THE MEASURE PASSED. BUT PATRICK HUMPF WITH A-B-Q FOOD TRUCKS TELLS US IT WON’T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. HUMPF SAYS ANY PROXIMITY LAW IMPOSED ON ONE BUSINESS THAT GIVES PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO ANOTHER BUSINESS IS A FORM OF WHAT HE CALLS “JACK-BOOTED THUGGERY” NOT SEEN IN THE U-S IN A LONG TIME.
HUMPF SAYS THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD HELP IS GETTING RID OF PROXIMITY LIMITS ALTOGETHER. HE ALSO SAYS THE AMENDMENT WOULD AFFECT DOWNTOWN ONLY, AS NOB HILL HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET RID OF FOOD TRUCKS.
