To the editor:

I believe the city of Lawrence should rescind its snow-shoveling ordinance. Here are the reasons why.

That it infringes on our personal liberty is obvious. That is perhaps an unfashionable concern in Lawrence these days, but some of us still care.

It substitutes a sweeping judgment by city commissioners that overrides all the particular judgments that individual homeowners could have made as to the advisability of shoveling or not, in their circumstances.

One can walk through snow relatively safely; it is walking on ice that’s dangerous. I’ve been reluctant to shovel snow off the sidewalk in front of my residence because, due to drainage, it will often shortly afterward become covered with ice. That is much more dangerous and much more difficult to remove and keep off.

For people who have brick or broken or irregular sidewalks, it could be even harder to keep them clean and ice-free.

Where sidewalks are city property, the city should be responsible for cleaning them.

Speaking of which, the city (or private contractor) has not done a good job of cleaning city streets and parking lots during this snowstorm. Snow has been piled up so high at some points as to make it difficult to see oncoming traffic when one is attempting to enter the street.

Those who vote for repeal of this ordinance will be the ones who will get my vote.