The following appeared as a letter to the editor from a Central Plaza store owner."Over the past two years, the number of shoppers in Central Plaza has been steadily decreasing while the popularity of skateboarding has increased dramatically. Many Central

The argument that business in Central Plaza will return to its previously high levels if the city prohibit skateboarding in that place is not entirely logically convincing, since it ignores certain crucial assumptions.

First, the argument assumes that litter and vandalism are associated with skateboarding yet it does nothing to explain this association. Based on what this assumptions were rose? An investigation should be conducted to find out who were the people involved with such criminal acts. With no proof of relation between skateboarders and these acts of vandalism and litter, there is no way to blame the skateboarders for these incidents.

Second, the argument omits any support to the conclusion that the number of shoppers decreased due to the increase in skateboard popularity. The number of shoppers may have decreased for a lot of other reasons, like Central Plaza facilities, infrastructure, number and type of stores and so on. Are there other shopping areas that opened their doors recently? Making use of a survey would shed some light on the real reasons why some shoppers stopped coming to Central Plaza for their shopping.

Finally, there is a lack of explanation on how the prediction that business in Central Plaza will return to its previously high levels if such a prohibition of skateboarding is put in place. What are the bases for such prediction? Is there any study that shows that the previous levels can be reached again? Without a clear understanding on the reasons why some people decided not shopping at Central Plaza anymore it is not possible to reach that conclusion.

Thus, the argument that business in Central Plaza will return to its previously high levels if the city prohibit skateboarding in that place is not completely sound. The evidence in support of the conclusion that does little to prove that conclusion, since it does not address the assumptions herein raised. Ultimately, the argument would have been strengthened if the author should have been able to prove that acts of vandalism and litter are somehow associated with skateboarders or to clearly present the real reasons why the number of shoppers has been steadily decreasing.