"My father wasn't one to stand in the way of progress," said Robert Tang, who now lives in Apache Junction. "I just think the Chinese community really wants something preserved of our history."

Here's a solution, Mr. Tang: Pay your own way.

The quote is taken from an Arizona Republic article on attempts to dictate to a group of private investors the terms on which they can build a brand-new barely-taxpayer-subsidized hotel in Downtown Phoenix. Mr. Tang and the Chinese community are joined by the Historic Preservationists, who by fiat of law create compulsory museums without compensation to the owners of the affected properties.

For all the hoopla regarding Downtown, it's important to understand that almost everything that is being planned will be paid for by the taxpayers. There is almost no entrepreneurial investment Downtown, and almost no privately-owned land upon wich to build entrepreneurial investments.

Still worse, for anyone foolish enough to put a nickel into Downtown, there stands Mr. Tang and other so-called 'stakeholders'--called this because they have zero financial stake in the investment--and all the busy-bodies at City Hall.

Just now a group of Luddities is trying to prevent vertical development in the Biltmore area--where, thankfully, there is no history to be preserved. If they succeed, the Downtown in Phoenix won't emerge in Phoenix at all. It will happen in Tempe.

Nice going...