Reader: City attacks local businesses, rather than help them

Two prominent restaurateurs are involved in very public spats with the city. Frank Bonanno, owner of Osteria Marco, among other restaurants, admits he can be a "dick." Especially when fighting the Denver Department of Environmental Health: posting missives on his blog aimed at Danica Lee, the department's food program manager who's inspected several of Bonanno's restaurants, and then expanding on this sentiments with Matt Rodbard, a contributing editor of Food Republic.

And then there's Jesse Morreale, owner of the First Avenue Hotel, home of both Sketch and El Diablo: Early Tuesday morning, the city slapped the building with notices to vacate, saying it was unsafe; both restaurants were closed yesterday.

Says guest:

This is the case with every city department right now, look at what just happened at El Diablo and Sketch, rather than trying to keep local businesses open they attack them.

Is the city attacking local businesses? Or doing its job protecting citizens? Read more about Frank Bonanno versus on the health department here and Jesse Morreale versus the planning department here.