Private business and government can make for odd bedfellows, and even more so when government oversteps its role.<\/p>\n
But if they\u2019re not careful, city leaders may create a new problem while trying to make right wrongs of the past.<\/p>\n
An equal rights ordinance expected to be adopted by the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly will go far in addressing injustices suffered in the capital city. As of now, a landlord can evict a tenant based on their sexual orientation, and businesses can fire employees because of the religion they practice. Sadly, these forms of discrimination and more are still permitted in Juneau. <\/p>\n
That must end. Now.<\/p>\n
However, in trying to end discrimination toward the poor, particularly as it involves housing, the ordinance overreaches. <\/p>\n
Juneau\u2019s equal rights ordinance would force landlords to accept federally backed housing vouchers for poor families. Forcing private business to get in bed with government has a tendency to go sideways quickly, and can upset the private market in unexpected ways (think federally mandated healthcare).<\/p>\n
Section 8 housing vouchers provide between 60-70 percent of a tenant\u2019s monthly rent, which is distributed through local and state housing authorities. If passed as-is, many Juneau landlords would be required to accept these vouchers whether they opted to participate in the program or not.<\/p>\n
Discrimination against the poor is not OK, but forcing landlords into an unwanted government program isn\u2019t the right solution.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think forcing somebody into a very cumbersome government program is very contradictory to everything I believe in, but once again that is my only problem with this ordinance,\u201d said Assemblywoman Debbie White, during Tuesday\u2019s Assembly work session meeting where public comment was taken.<\/p>\n
White makes a valid point, and one in which we fully agree.<\/p>\n
The federal government has a key role to play in the business sector. Employees should be guaranteed a minimum wage, earn overtime when it\u2019s worked and be provided a safe work environment. But allowing the CBJ to force government bureaucracy and layers of federal red tape on landlords shouldn\u2019t be permitted.<\/p>\n
If Juneau lacked low-income housing or landlords who accepted vouchers we might feel differently, but that\u2019s not our current situation. <\/p>\n
The equal rights ordinance must be passed, but with a single amendment so it does no harm to the current housing market. If a landlord chooses not to rent to a gay or Muslim couple, legal action should be an option for those tenants. But if a landlord doesn\u2019t want to take part in an optional federal program, CBJ has no right to make them do so.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"