Councilwoman
Jan Perry’s push to ban new fast food restaurants from opening up in impoverished South Los Angeles was
unanimously approved on Tuesday. The
Associated Press reports:
The yearlong moratorium -- which the mayor still must sign into law -- is intended to give the city time to attract restaurants that serve healthier food. The action is believed to be the first of its kind by a major city to protect public health.
"Our communities have an extreme shortage of quality foods," City Councilman Bernard Parks said.
Representatives of fast-food chains said they support the goal of better diets but believe they are being unfairly targeted. They say they offer healthier food items on their menus.
"It's not where you eat, it's what you eat," said Andrew Pudzer, president and chief executive of CKE Restaurants, parent company of Carl's Jr. "We were willing to work with the city on that, but they obviously weren't interested."
The California Restaurant Association and its members will consider a legal challenge to the ordinance, spokesman Andrew Casana said.
Clearly city officials' hearts are in the right place, but I think better educating people on why NOT to eat fast food is a better approach. Then again, that hasn't work so far. So, what would you do?
