The only real way to control

growth is not to control construction and development, which are a result

of growth, but to control population and job growth. Here are a few effective

ways to do it, though some are just as anti-libertarian as Bob's:

1. Stop facilities growth at

the Atlanta Airport. This will stop job growth at the airport and have

a multiplier effect throughout the region (i.e., less doctors, grocers,

even builders).

2. Get rid of our county property

tax system and go to a more regressive all-sales tax and user-fee system.

This would discourage the influx of lower income folks who tend to only

be able to afford high-density housing. This is as mean-spirited as Bob's

ideas, but a whole lot more effective.

3. Stop immigration, no exceptions.

Replace it with a temporary guest worker program. This is perfectly legal,

unlike bogus zoning laws, and would definitely reduce demand for housing

and shopping centers.

4. Remove tax advantages for

families with children from the tax code to encourage smaller families.

After all, population growth causes demand for housing, not the other

way around.

5. Eliminate state and county

tax advantages used to attract new business. If the businesses stop relocating

here, then obviously there will be less job creation and housing growth.

These are all ideas to slow

or stop growth that would be more legal and effective than arbitrary zoning.

But before we decide to use

these or Bob's measures to control growth we should consider two things.

One, in a free society, do

we want to hand so much control over what used to be considered private

business matters and over the uses of private property to the government

or to the community in general?

In other words, will we remain

free individuals or are we to form a commune where everyone has a say

in everything?

Two, once stopped, will we

be able to turn growth back on, or stop decline? Many stagnant communities

would give their right arm to have our growth problem.

I sometimes wonder if our generation

will be the ones who finally stupidly put an end to freedom in this country.

When we take other people's rights, property, and freedom of action away

from them, we will eventually lose our own.

Bill Gilmer

[email protected]