From Independent Women’s Forum:

It’s not uncommon to read about heavy regulations and licensing requirements burdening small business across America, but one in particular caught my eye this week.  In Portland, Oregon, a state health inspector shut down a 7-year-old’s lemonade stand.  She was told she needed to leave or face a $500 fine.  Under state law, even a lemonade stand in your front lawn must obtain a $120 license to operate.  Another small business bites the dust.

To be fair, this lovely young girl did go to a large event and set up shop, the story tells of this:

…Technically, any lemonade stand — even one on your front lawn — must be licensed under state law, said Eric Pippert, the food-borne illness prevention program manager for the state’s public health division. But county inspectors are unlikely to go after kids selling lemonade on their front lawn unless, he conceded, their front lawn happens to be on Alberta Street during Last Thursday.

“When you go to a public event and set up shop, you’re suddenly engaging in commerce,” he said. “The fact that you’re small-scale I don’t think is relevant.”…

In my mind’s eye its sorta like the regulations about smoked covers over break lights on cars. Yes there is a danger in dimming these lights, but this isn’t enforced widely. However… it serves the police well when they want to pull someone over whom they suspect for trouble. (If only the crack houses would have lemonade stands.) I do recommend a book for parents about this very issue, where some kids set out to make some money by setting up a lemonade stand in front of their house, and they run into Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, and others along the way. Very funny.