Foes Line Up Against Tour Guide Intelligence Bill

Back in March, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown proposed a bill licensing the city’s tour guides so they don’t tell tourists wrong information about our fair city. I kind of thought that was always one of the perks of tourists: You could tell them whatever the hell you wanted do and they’d believe you! “Oh, yeah, City Hall? The head opens up and shoots out a giant piece of Pez candy every New Year.”

(Please note: Although Ralph “Ben Franklin” Archbold — at right — opposes tour guide regulation, he knows more about Ben Franklin than Ben Franklin did.)

The day the news of her bill broke, ignorant tour guides across the city banded together to stop it. While there weren’t any rallies with people holding signs that read “Thomas Jefferson Invented The Light Bulb,” when Reynolds Brown holds a hearing on the bill there will be protesters, reports KYW 1060’s Karin Phillips:

However, Jonathan Bari, founder of Constitutional Walking Tours, says a license won’t make any tour guide more knowledgeable, but he says it will:

“Increase consumer prices for tours; we think it’s going to deter qualified guides; it’s going to wreak havoc on business operations for small businesses.”

Bari says the proposal is well-meaning but flawed, and he plans on presenting 10 points against it to the council’s parks, recreation and cultural affairs committee.

A 10-point treatise on flaws in tour guide regulation! I bet it came out of the latest issue of Reason.

Phila. Council Holds Hearing On Tour Guide License Bill [KYW 1060]
March 29: City Council To Improve Citizens’ Lives Again
March 30: Ignorant Tour Guides Fight Regulation