365个英语小故事 第343期：New Law for Taco Trucks
Taco trucks cannot remain parked in the same location for more than an hour, according to a new Los Angeles city law. They cannot return to that location for three hours. In the past, they could not remain parked in the same location for more than two hours. Restaurant owners complain that the taco trucks are stealing their customers, “because taco truck food is faster and cheaper. Plus, they don’t have to pay taxes or get health inspections.”
Lawyer Phil Greenberg says the time limit is unenforceable. “The two-hour law was never enforced by the city, so what’s the point of changing it to one hour?” he asked. “The city has more important things to do than ticket these hard workers. What about all the potholes, the graffiti, the homeless, and the gangs? LA is almost $400 million in debt. The mayor has already said he’s going to lay off 767 city employees. There won’t be anyone left to enforce the new parking law. There are thousands of taco trucks in this city.”
The penalty for the first violation of the new law is $100; the second violation can result in a maximum $1,000 fine and six months in jail. One angry truck owner said, “This is a racist law. All of us taco truck owners are Latinos. Our trucks are an important part of the history and culture of Los Angeles. Thirty of us have already agreed to park our trucks in the same spot all day long. If a law is illegal, it is our duty as good citizens to ignore it.” City residents who want to support taco trucks can visit saveourtacotrucks.org.
