Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
When I watched the video here, I was certain there must be a misunderstanding. There's no way an actual city council would vote to require citizens to put keys to their properties in lock boxes, right? But this Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier report substantiates the claim:
Opponents of the ordinance have mounted a spirited opposition to its adoption. They have established a website, circulated a petition and produced a video to fight against the ordinance. Those opponents claim the lock box requirement is a potential security issue and an expensive, unfair requirement for businesses.
Supporters say it can save time and property by providing firefighters easy access when an alarm sounds or a fire breaks out.
The first two considerations of the ordinance resulted in 6-1 votes in favor of the ordinance. Nick Taiber was the only council member to vote against it each time.
Looks like there's already a requirement like this for some larger buildings. I'm sure when that passed, the city council dismissed all slippery slope arguments, right?
Today is the final vote for Cedar Falls. Perhaps they'll change the ordinance so that it's voluntary, instead of mandatory. Simple fix, right?
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Comments :
May '10
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
All we want is just a little bit more of your freedom so we can give you just a little bit more safety. And, we're on the city council, so you know how wise we must be; what could go wrong?
Dec '10
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
If there's a fire, you chop down the door. If you don't have to chop down the door then you don't need to unlock it.
The fire company isn't going to fiddle with keys. The police might, if somebody reports suspicious activity, but this is the kind of thing for a factory or warehouse at night, not a key for every residence. Even the cops aren't going to fiddle with keys for every house or apartment, it's silly.
The next step will be that when they get a warrant, they'll just grab your keys and in they come.
Let me describe Cedar Falls and you'll get the idea.
It's a town of 39,000 people and is home of the University of Northern Iowa, which has an enrollment of 13,000 and it used to be called the Iowa State Teacher's College.
Oct '10
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
As your betters, we will do as we please, and then the left wing courts will rule it constitutional, create a precedent, and, next thing you know, governments around the country will employ the practice for our own good.
Forget that fourth amendment crap, we just don't want your front door to be damaged in a fire, or by a swat team from the Education Department. Besides, we want first dibs on your new couch or xerox machine.
May '10
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
As a Machiavellian, frequent scofflaw, and fervent advocate of both barratry and socage in fief, there's an easy way to get around this. Everyone's got a few old keys lying around that drawer in the kitchen that don't really go to anything that you can remember. So put them in the dropbox. If the authorities complain that the keys don't fit the locks, ask them how they know that, and then threaten a lawsuit. That'll shut em up.
Mar '11
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
Everybody, calm down. We just want your keys stored away in the safety of the deep, dark, government vault controlled by unelected bureaucrats in case you lock yourself out of the house.
Call the city, we're here to help!
What could go wrong?
Mar '11
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
Perfect. Except it is not a crime to *try* a lock....
Jan '11
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
Would this be OK with Mitt Romney if there were just 50 variations of this type of nonsense?
Jul '10
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
Every good police department has trained lock picks. With tools. This is just a belt and suspenders thing.
Dec '10
Re: Cedar Falls Wants Citizens' Keys To Properties. What Could Go Wrong?
I've had to deal with this kind of crap on the shopping malls we used to build.
Those Knox boxes (the company that makes them is named Knox, so they're called Knox boxes) are a genuine racket, if ever there was one.
The only boxes that the code allows are made by a single mfg (like you thought this wasn't all set up by that one guy to start with), and they know it. Nothing like a continuous stream of state mandated business.
That box, to hold a single key, is ~4" wide by 6" tall by 2" deep, and costs just a fuzz under $500.
This is on a building with full height glass doors and floor to ceiling glass storefront windows (IE, one hard whack in any given spot with a hallagan and you have an entry door).
It's a big hustle, where the bureaucrats get to dictate things to people, and the business that originates the idea and backs the poindexters gets paid continuously. It's also pretty awesome for anyone who can lay hands on a Knox box key, because they're all the same. One key opens literally every building in the city. The whole thing is idiotic.
Cronyism sucks in all its forms.
Edited on Jun 13, 2011 at 9:36pm