It's very common in the US, at all levels of government, from the smallest towns, to big cities, county governments, state governments, and the federal government. If you look up the "Institute of Justice," the law firm representing the monks, you'll find some pithy prose on their site describing such favoritism as the "favorite pastime" of said governments.

As a Louisiana resident, I've been following this case for a while, and I'm delighted by the results. But there are many more such ridiculous laws that should be overturned. Here's hoping that the monks prevail all the way to the Supreme Court.