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ITD's Bruce King drafts city's letter to U.S. Supreme Court
arguing for power to regulate local businesses

ITD’s Bruce King is not an attorney, yet his argument in support of more autonomy for local government has reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

King, a communications specialist for District 6 in Rigby, devotes considerable spare time to local government as a city council member of the City of Sugar City. He recently drafted a letter on behalf of the council, outlining its disagreement with the court’s ruling about regulating adult entertainment businesses.

“Apparently justices decided in Schad v. Mount Ephriam (452 U.S. 61, 1981) that municipalities must allow for adult businesses on the grounds that the Free Speech Clause of the first Amendment protects such expression.

“We disagree.

“Our study of the First Amendment and of the ideology that created it convinces us that the Framers merely intended to protect political and religious speech. In fact, we join with many others who hold that there is no constitutional justification for unlimited free ‘speech,’ ” according to the city’s letter dated Jan. 29. The Sugar City mayor, council president and Planning and Zoning Commission chairman signed the letter.

“… the letter reflects our sincere efforts to take our duties in local government seriously. In fact, to further good government at all levels,” King emphasizes. “It also reflects a willingness to challenge what we believe are alarming legal trends in our nation.”

As a concerned member of the city council, King conceived the idea and wrote the initial draft. He presented it to the council on Jan. 22. The Associated Press learned of the letter and has distributed a news story about it.

See the Sugar City Council letter.