There’s this restaurant in my neighborhood, Cole’s Eatery, that doesn’t have its garbage picked up. Instead the owner walks around our neighborhood and dumps his garbage in all of our yards.

When challenged, Mr. Cole says, “I’m sorry, but if I have to pay for garbage service, it will increase my cost of doing business. I might have to charge you all more for Cole Burgers, or lay off employees like Joe over there.” (Joe gives a plaintive wave as he scoops fry grease into his own bins.)

When you say you’re pretty sure the law requires that he properly dispose of his own garbage, Mr. Cole promises he’ll check on that with his council member, Mr. McConnell. As he walks away, you hear him muttering something about “job-killing government regulations.”