La Puente : City Considers Fee Cut
Complaints by merchants prompted the City Council to consider slashing the city’s permit and license fees.
The council boosted the fees last July to help the city recover the cost of processing applications for everything from zone changes to business licenses to fence permits. With a few exceptions, the fees had not been increased since 1957.
In several cases, however, the council hiked the fees beyond levels recommended by city staff. For example, the staff had proposed a $200 permit fee for a free-standing sign. The council raised the fee to $450.
On Tuesday, several merchants complained that the city should not be weighting down businesses with higher costs for licenses and permits during already perilous economic times.
A public hearing on the cuts is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers at City Hall.
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