In 2004, the city of Tampa began enforcing a teenage curfew in Ybor City. The usual reasons: a lot of stuff can happen when teenagers are cruising around in the wee hours, and none of it is good. The curfew currently prohibits those under 18 from hanging out in Tampa’s historic/entertainment district between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. from Thursday through Saturday.
Now some Ybor-vested interests — officials and activists — are suggesting that it might be worth adding Wednesdays as well. The usual reasons.
Not everyone agrees.
City Councilman Tom Scott thinks Curfew Wednesdays – absent facts to underscore the need — smack of “Gestapo” tactics. City Attorney David Smith didn’t resort to such hyperbolized blather, but conceded he would need data — the Tampa Police Department kind that would show youth-oriented criminal activity — to warrant adding another curfew day. To date, there’s not enough. Verbal warnings and the off-putting scene of 16-year-olds milling around past midnight don’t count. Neither does common sense.
Just a na