Local Control Isn’t The Whole Answer

While I don’t argue that having local control is generally more efficient and effective than national control, I am finding that it may not be the answer to as many problems as I once thought. Several years ago I would have said that local control would solve the problem of antagonistic statist, government control.

There are small towns that have just as antagonistic micromanaging and controlling attitudes as you might see at the state or federal level. For example, in some places cities use zoning laws to forbid Christian Churches and other groups from meeting Link. In other places private Christian schools must fight battles in court about whether they may be allowed by the school district or the school board (local government) to teach the Christian principles of Creation.

I grew up in the country where my father had a business at home. He was an architect. He had jobs all over the county. One job he had was to design a barn for a couple living in the outskirts of a small town (population less than 2000). Because my dad’s name was on the drawings when the went through the permit process, the mayor of this small town sent a letter to my dad telling him that he didn’t have a business license to operate in his town and so he was not authorized to conduct business there. The mayor demanded the business license fee. Since neither his residence, nor his business was located in the town the demand didn’t make much sense, but my dad, not wanting to cause any further strife paid the fee, but not without sending along a letter explaining why he didn’t think he should have to pay it or be licensed in every town he had a client.

I can’t blame my dad for wanting to be a friendly person, but it seems that when we just keep letting the government get away with abusing their power, we give up some of our liberties.