Decision on Landlord Fee Delayed

The Lawndale City Council has postponed a decision on amending a controversial business license fee until it can determine whether the mayor and two council members can vote without violating state conflict-of-interest laws.

The amendment, which would reduce license fees for some landlords, had been scheduled to come before the council Thursday night during a regularly scheduled meeting.

However, the matter was delayed indefinitely because the state Fair Political Practices Committee has yet to inform the city whether Mayor Harold E. Hofmann and council members Carol Norman and Larry Rudolph can vote on it. The three own rental property in the city.

Under the present tax, landlords pay a license fee of $139 on each parcel of property they own that has five or fewer rental units. The amendment calls for the tax to be reduced to $64. Even if a landlord owns three parcels, he or she would pay $64 as long as the total number of rentals in the city did not exceed five units.