Local Government Taxation/Blackmail

mtfallsmikey

And, what a pain it is! Having to separate / track every job to it's proper locality. In my local county, if you do under $4k in business, you don't need a license! And Fairfax Co. Va. has an awesome website for inspection set-ups, etc.

Cosmo_3

Starting to get the invoices again for the new year

I do work in about 10-15 different local municipalities in my area.

Every time I try to pick up a permit the first thing out of the secretary's mouth is "Have you paid your Business Privilege License fee, your Plumbing, and Electrical License renewals Sir?"

AAAARGH

How is it fair that I have to pay a Business license somewhere other than where my business is located? just because I do a couple service calls in a township I have to pay all these fees?

Sorry to rant, I get this way every year around this time when renewal notices get sent......

Meanwhile, for all the money I am spending for the different local governments, not a single one has a web- based application for permits. Every one of them wants me to drive to see them, and waste my valuable time. Why must I be punished for doing the right thing?

Just venting....like ME's solar panel air vent!!!!!


Cosmo

kevin coppinger_4

ahh..

no good deed goes un punished...I am happy o live in New Hampshire...we don't have such things....kpc

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Jeff Lawrence_25

Fortunately for us

Our local ACCA group got passed a few years ago that as long as we have a business license at our office, that's good enough for the entire state.

Now if they could get rid of the license registrations we have to pay in every little municipality for the state license. I don't mind paying for the permit, but we have to register our state license with the city or county we pull the permit from.

Yes, we have to have state licenses for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and nearly everything else.....

Ken D.

Cosmo

I feel your pain. Such fees are nothing but a money grab. Oh, sure they say it is so people don't get ripped off. I have seen too many times when an inspector does'nt even show up or if he does, he does'nt do a thorough inspection. Many bad contractors have these licenses but are as big a rip off as they were before licensing. We cover 10 counties in 2 states. Our county alone has 65 seperate municpalites. One county/city has home rule, so there is only the city to deal with. As I don't know the totals for each county, figure an average of 50 municipalities per county. If all required licensing, we would need 451 licenses. Pretty outrageous, huh? Thank goodness all don't require licensing, but far too many do. It would be nice if you only bought one license per state or even county, but I'm not holding my breath.

RianS

Cosmo

Here in Pa., a lot of the towns require business "privilege" licenses. They are usually $35 and then they send you a tax bill for total receipts in that town. So here you get penalized twice for doing the right thing. Sounds like legalized extortion to me.