Prince George’s vs. Burger King?

According to this morning’s Washington Post, leaders are considering measures to curb the prevalence of fast food across Prince George’s County.

Travel along a two-block stretch of Central Avenue in Prince George’s County, and you’ll find a staggering 11 fast-food restaurants.

For community activist Arthur Turner and state Sen. David C. Harrington (D-Prince George’s), the strip is evidence of the proliferation of burger joints and Chinese takeouts in the county, especially in poorer, inner Capital Beltway communities.

Pointing to studies that rank Prince George’s residents among the least healthy in Maryland, Turner and Harrington want to limit new fast-food restaurants in the county, a far stricter approach than what has been enacted in such places as New York City and Montgomery County, which banned the use of trans fats in those establishments.

Turner and Harrington say they are concerned that the restaurants contribute to high occurrences of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease and have taken separate paths to deal with the issue.

Turner is negotiating with individual developers, and Harrington has introduced a bill in the General Assembly that would impose a moratorium on issuing licenses to new fast-food businesses.

“Our county is inundated with unhealthy food choices,” Turner said. “In some areas, if someone wants a healthy choice, there are no options. We want healthy options in our community.”

Does it make sense to curb licensing? What is the greater priority health or economics, or are there ways to balance the concerns?

2 Comments

1. Here we have a couple of authoritarian nannies deciding that the people who elected them are too dumb to decide for themselves what to eat.

   One result of this bill will be to reduce employment opportunities, during a period of very high unemployment. The people who will be most negatively affected are young African-Americans and recent Latino immigrants.

   So, we have two Democratic politicians working hard to hurt their own constituents.

   Comment by D.C. Russell - January 26, 2010 @ 3:56 pm

2. I do agree we need more high-quality, sit-down restaurants, but we need a far more thoughtful approach to this dilemma. The legislative activity proposed by Senator Harrington sends the message to the business community that the County is not interested in further economic development, which is a very dangerous precedent at a time when we continue to lose opportunities to Montgomery, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties.

   Our elected officials, and those who seek elective office, need to consider the broader implications of any legislation they propose. Otherwise, we must identify business-minded candidates who can find creative solutions that truly address the issues and maintains an atmosphere that welcomes much-needed economic development. We are at a development crossroads and we cannot afford further shortsightedness from our elected officials that inhibits our ability to create the quality of life we deserve in Prince George’s County.

   Comment by bowlingref - January 29, 2010 @ 7:21 pm