Local News in Brief : Anaheim : Chamber Opposes Hike in Business License Fees
The Chamber of Commerce on Friday declared its opposition to a proposed increase in business license fees that would be the first in 30 years.
“We think they’re unjustified,” said Allan B. Hughes, the chamber’s executive director. “We feel they’re detrimental to the business and economic climate of Anaheim.”
The City Council is scheduled to choose from three business fee proposals Tuesday.
City Treasurer Mary Turner has devised a rate schedule of nine categories, with some businesses paying a flat rate and others a percentage of their gross receipts. Her proposal would increase revenues to $3.6 million from the $1.5 million the city now receives. Two alternative plans would reduce the business tax rates on gross receipts by one-half or a third.
The chamber previously accepted the new categories in concept last month but now opposes the rate levels as excessive.
Hughes said the chamber would prefer that the city seek additional revenue by attracting new businesses to the downtown redevelopment area.
City officials said the new tax rates would bring Anaheim’s receipts up to the same levels experienced by other California cities of a comparable size.
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