A Sprawl Tax in Texas

This from the Project for Public Spaces:

In a move that stunned political observers from El Paso to Texarkana, Governor Rick Perry announced a bold move to revitalize Texas communities by creating thousands of town squares modeled on Mexican plazas throughout the state.

"Let's face it," the governor announced in a surprise press conference at the Alamo in San Antonio, "we may have whupped the Mexicans to win our independence but we sure lost the battle to make great places. Mexican towns and villages have lively plazas and zocalos, where everyone can gather in the evenings. They've got street life, damn it. We're stuck with a bunch of Wal-Marts and strip malls. Ay Caramba!"

Perry said that his ambitious public space plan, which includes grants of up to $1000 per resident for any neighborhood or town wanting to create a plaza, will be paid for by his new sprawl tax on stores and offices that are not pedestrian-friendly.

Happy April Fools day... More from PPS.