St. Charles Hates Tattoo Shops, America, and Kittens (Probably)

If  you live in St. Charles you should know that your local government thinks your stupid and it hates good ole American capitalism. They may also like stepping on cats tails and punching smiling 5 year-olds in the stomach. The last part we’re not 100% sure of, but the first two things are totally true. Exhibit One: They, once again, denied tattoo shops the right to start up within incorporated St. Charles.

The St. Charles City Council on Tuesday voted 6-4 against allowing tattoo shops within city limits. The bill failed despite it being amended to only allow tattoo businesses in C2-zoned areas at least 300 feet from a residential district and not on Main Street.

Mayor Patti York said that even though the bill would have disallowed tattoo shops on Main Street, those shops could move in a block away in the Historic District.

Oh no! Not a block from the historic district! You know, the district that tries to perserve all that was perfect about the past like fresh baked apple pie, slavery and the rules so that chicks can’t become mayor. Yup, the good old days.

“To me, if it’s something the council does want in the city, I think it should be like adult videos and some of the other stores, I think it should be out in the hinterlands, not in the districts we really want to protect,” York said.

What exactly are you protecting here? No one’s going to be made to get a tattoo just because a shop comes to town. If the community really won’t support a tattoo shop, the “problem” will take care of itself. It seems bizarre that a city would pass a law banning any kind of store, prohibiting both a potential tax-paying shopkeep, but also limiting a building owner’s options for new tenants. Look, St. Charles has some nice areas with fun restaurants, but to pretend the place isn’t just one giant strip mall after another is a little pretentious.

No, in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t a big deal and people can just go elsewhere for their tattoo needs, but it is odd that St. Charles has to “protect” their residents from tattoos, but don’t feel the same obligation to protect them from heart disease and obesity from the variety of all-you-can-shovel buffet options at nearly every exit along highway 70. Which is more of a body modification: a little ankle tattoo of a cross, or gaining 300 pounds? …the later, which somewhat ironically gives you more tattoo-able surface area.

via STLToday