Posted on 08/11/2012 7:40:45 AM PDT by mom4kittys
Nathan Duszynski, a 13-year-old whose hot dog cart was shut down by city officials in Holland, Mich., is now homeless, along with his disabled parents.
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy first reported the story.
Nathan had saved up money for a hot dog cart to help his parents pay their bills. His mother suffers from epilepsy and his father suffers from multiple sclerosis, limiting their ability to work.
The family survives on $1,300 a month in disability assistance, food stamps and medicaid, but has struggled to stay afloat.
“Nate and I are now in a shelter,” Nathan’s mother Lynette Johnson said.
“[Nathan’s father] can’t stay with us because he takes prescription narcotics to deal with his pain and the shelter does not allow him with those kinds of drugs,” she said.
The 13-year-old had worked out an arrangement to sell hot dogs in the parking lot of a local sporting goods store. His mom felt the location was great since it was on private property, so his age wouldn’t be an impediment.
Before opening up shop, Johnson said, they stopped by city hall, just across the street from the cart’s location, to ask if they needed a permit to sell food. His mother explained that a woman at city hall told her no permit was necessary.
The business was short-lived and the city of Holland shut down the stand 10 minutes after it opened. Zoning officials cited laws that prohibit food carts in the commercial district that are not connected to downtown brick and mortar restaurants.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Hoping that Nathan can be successful with special events.
Nate..you did NOT build that small business.
So hard for kids ...sad
This was a follow up in the comments section—don’t know f it is true...This is the reason for my post on wishing success for special events.
Apparently a packaging company heard about what happened and bought the cart for $2500 and are letting him use the cart for special occassions, he has a wedding lined up to use the cart at, he wanted to start the small business to help his parents and save money for college. I have a feeling this kid will be ok, he seems enterprising, motivated and capable.
I think you are right about the kid’s character, I hope the report about the packaging company is true.
Exactly why some gov't bureaucrat will have to find some way to crush him
This young man shows great character for his age. I would have thought someone would have told him about the zoning laws, but then, what can you expect from government?
I don’t know if Holland city hall is D or R, but the lack of compassion makes me think it’s D.
With $2500.00 collected 2 or 3 weeks ago, and with 2 parents collecting disability checks, and with food stamps helping with food, how can these people be homeless?
This story is missing something.
Now Obama's feds will be after him for income taxes on the profit he made selling the cart.
Actually this has a lot more to do with the other local businesses running to government to protect them from this rogue Jr Businessman.
A sporting goods store let him set up the cart in his lot but the neighbors got their panties in a wad and ran to the city.
Sometimes, business deserves the government they get.
Initiative being crushed in our budding entrepreneurs. God help us.
As I explained in this earlier thread. Its a horror show trying to start a business in Michigan and its made worse by our fellow “businessmen” running to government to protect them from competition.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2916935/posts
“With $2500.00 collected 2 or 3 weeks ago, and with 2 parents collecting disability checks, and with food stamps helping with food, how can these people be homeless?”
Why must you pour water over this sob story?
“its made worse by our fellow “businessmen” running to government to protect them from competition.”
Hogwash. Other businesses play by the rule, including tremendous amount of red tape, but this sob-story kid comes in and expects special treatment?
Everybody must play by the rule, regardless of their parents’ diseases.
So the owner of the sporting goods store can’t even make his own decision to let the kid sell in his parking lot? He was even willing to give the kid a commission on sales made in the store.
Thank God we have brave nazis like you to dictate what we can do.
From the article: Zoning officials cited laws that prohibit food carts in the commercial district that are not connected to downtown brick and mortar restaurants.
Sounds like squatting in the parking lot kinda violates zoning laws. Just saying.
Then they shouldn’t have given him the permit in the first place. Yes he had the required permits until your nazi brethren got their panties in a wad over it.
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