EDITORIAL | Left Coast Logic: San Francisco ought to arrest criminals, not burden companies

San Francisco Mayor London Breed is worried about crime in the city’s Tenderloin district.

So her solution is to make it even harder for small businesses to make a profit in the area.

The Tenderloin neighborhood is home to many artists and has a wide variety of restaurants and nightlife. But it also known for high levels of homelessness, drugs and prostitution. Some parts are considered among the most dangerous in the City by the Bay.

FOX News station KTVU reported last week that mayor proposes to place a curfew on retail establishments that sell liquor, prepackaged food and tobacco. The stores would have to close at midnight and could not reopen until 5 a.m.

The plan calls for a fine of $1,000 for every hour a business violates the curfew.

The idea is that drug dealers, prostitutes and their customers gather around these stores lat into the night to transact shady business. The curfew aims to cut down on that illicit trade.

But the proposal exempts bars, restaurants and event venues from the curfew.

One retailer in the Tenderloin told FOX News that shutting the stores would make the neighborhood darker, possibly increasing cover for illicit dealings.

That’s quite possible. And it’s pretty well known criminals adapt to circumstances. They may no longer gather outside small retailers. But you can bet they will simply find someplace else to make their money. Maybe around bars, restaurants or event venues.

Now, call us crazy, but in our view San Francisco should leave small business owners alone and maybe try the novel approach of arresting drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes and other assorted lawbreakers.

But we guess that doesn’t fit in with Left Cost logic.