While many have already written off 2020, the Institute for Justice is squeezing every last victory for liberty out of this difficult year. This week, we won another courtroom coup that holds government officials accountable for abusing their power and paves the way for new opportunities for small entrepreneurs.

This win is yet another example of the impact that IJ is having across the nation. And one look at the headlines makes it clear that our work has never been more desperately needed to protect vital constitutional rights.

Please ensure IJ’s continued success by joining our efforts with a gift of $25, $50, or $100. And, thanks to a new challenge grant, your gift now will be matched dollar for dollar!

Operating a small business in the current climate is challenging enough without the government picking winners and losers. And that’s exactly what South Padre Island bureaucrats did. Until 2016, this Texas tourist destination banned mobile food vendors from serving crowds of hungry beachgoers. When the city finally allowed food truck entrepreneurs in, they capped the number of permits they would issue at a mere 12—and required applicants to first obtain a signature from their brick-and-mortar competitors to qualify! This week, IJ ended this blatant protectionism when the district court not only struck down the city’s absurd permit cap, it also ensured that the officials who put it in place are held to account for violating the state constitution’s protections for economic liberty.

IJ’s victory puts elected officials throughout the second-largest state on notice that, if they make it more difficult for hardworking Americans to earn a living, they’ll have to answer for their actions in court. Help us keep the victories coming in 2021 by making an online donation today.

Many thanks,
Scott

Scott G. Bullock
President and General Counsel
Institute for Justice