Mo. man: Ordinance 'killed Christmas'

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PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Mo., Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A Missouri man said a city ordinance has "killed Christmas" for him by making his annual holiday display too expensive.

Mike Babick of Prairie Village said he has spent the last 47 years creating elaborate Christmas displays at his home, but the Prairie Village City Council passed an ordinance this week requiring permits for any "special event" lasting more than five days that is likely to create crowds sufficient in size to obstruct, delay or interfere with the safe and orderly movement of ... traffic," The Kansas City (Mo.) Star reported Wednesday.

Babick said the ordinance would require him to pay off-duty police officers $44.69 per hour to handle security issues when the crowds are large.

"It stinks," Babick said. "They've killed Christmas for me. Just killed it."

Babick said his attorney and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri are looking into the matter.

"It's the goofiest permit ordinance that I've ever seen," ACLU attorney Doug Bonney said. "Pretty clearly, this is targeted at this one guy."