The bookstore article in AZ Republic 9/25/98 A few comments.

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Your Tax Dollars Are Being Wasted Ruining Citizens Lives
Instead of fighting real crime

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The Book Cellars article in AZ Republic 9/25/98
The felony conviction of the women owner of The Book Cellars is for tax evasion. Nothing whatsoever to do with adult sexuality. Yet the article and Romley's actions ties this "criminal activity" to how it damaged the neighborhood. I fail to see how tax evasion or skimming money from the till to dodge taxes is related to damaging a neighborhood. But when your talking sex, making logical sense doesn't seem to be needed.

The claim of seeing people have sex in cars, dirty magazines, sex toys and condoms in the "neighborhood" is a more legitimate issue.

I doubt if any of this happens at most strip, nude or clubs since your not buying anything to take outside! But just like there is a wide range of bookstores from the clean "take your wife" type like Castle Boutique to the "dirty old men" ones like Book Cellars where men can masturbate in front of videos in booths.

Most of the strip clubs and nude clubs are very clean, well run, with no real sexual activity. The police reports the city compiled clearly show that. But there are differences such as Rumper Room where many dancers tell me the women owner tells them to do whatever they need to for tips. But all clubs or bookstores should not be hurt by the actions of a few. And worst of all is the city trying to use this action as an excuse for the adult business laws. None of the restrictions proposed for strip, nude or swing clubs have any effect whatever on the neighborhood problem. Unless of course they simply drive them out of business. They can't use this as a neighborhood nuisance argument. And since you can have sex at swing clubs there is less likely a having sex in a car problem.

If prostitution was allowed in the bookstore or in private homes, and there were more sexually satisfied men coming out, the problem of sex in cars in the neighborhood would go away. The solution is not to try and deny sexuality since that will never work, but decriminalize sex work so healthy sexuality can be shared in private between consenting adults and this would solve most of the neighborhood problems.

There's a new grade school going up just north of Indian School on 7th Street. Right next door is a convenience store that sells alcohol to derelicts, who pass out on the sidewalk that will be used by kids on their way to school. Several doors south is a strip bar. It will be interesting to see how this mix will work when school starts. Why is the strip club more of a concern than the convenience store?