HomeMy WebLinkAboutCD-19-96 THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
REPORT
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE File #
Date: APRIL 1, 1996
Res. 41,
By-Law#
Report#: File #:
Subject: REFRESHMENT VEHICLE LICENCE DISCOUNTS
Recommendations:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and
Administration Committee recommend to Council the following:
1 . THAT Report CD-19-96 be received for information;
2 . THAT the request of Mr. Chuck James for a pro-rated fee for a
refreshment vehicle licence be denied; and
3 . THAT a copy of Report CD-19-96 be forwarded to Mr. Chuck James .
BACKGROUND AND COMMENT
Recently staff were requested to examine the possibility of offering a
reduced or pro-rated price for a refreshment vehicle licence . At
present the cost for this licence is $200 .
The question that was asked was why should someone who operates for
only part of the year be required to pay for the full year?
There are certain disadvantages to creating a pro-rated system of
licensing. By offering a pro-rated licence the Municipality is
creating a situation where it could be to the vendor' s advantage to
delay purchasing the licence for as long as possible in order to
reduce operating costs .
Continued . . . . . /2
1202
Report CD-19-96 - 2 - April 1, 1996
The creation of pro-rated licenses can create tension and aggravation
among the vendors . The chip truck operator who has been licensed
since January could now find himself losing business to someone who
only set up in June and will be gone by the end of August . This is a
similar complaint to that coming from many area merchants about
various hawkers and pedlars already operating in the municipality.
For example, mobile refreshment vehicles could operate unlicenced for
several months before being caught . Once charged, the vendor could
purchase a licence at the reduced rate . Courts have traditionally
been hesitant to impose a fine on a defendant who appears before them
after having complied by purchasing a licence . In the majority of
cases, the end result would be a conviction with no fine or a
suspended sentence . The pro-rated licence becomes an incentive not to
purchase a licence until after someone is caught .
The internal work and cost to the Municipality in staff time to
approve a licence is still the same, regardless of whether the licence
is issued for one month or twelve months .
Staff have conferred with the Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa
By-law Departments . None of these municipalities offer a reduced rate
for their business or trade licences .
In considering and approving the recommendations contained in Report
ADMIN-2-96, Council just recently increased the various licensing fees
of the Municipality. Should a pro-rated fee be approved, the effect
will in fact, be to decrease the amount of licensing revenue realized
by the municipality.
Continued . . . . . /3
1203
Report CD-19-96 - 3 - April 1, 1996
CONCLUSION
In view of the foregoing, it is staff' s recommendation that a
pro-rated system for refreshment vehicle licences not be established.
Respectfully submitted, Reviewed by,
r'
att ' L. BaZrie, A.M. C.T. W. H. Stockwell
own Clerk Chief Administrative Officer
PLB/LC
Interested party to be advised of Council' s decision:
Mr. C. James
37 Lawrence Crescent
Bowmanville, Ontario
L1C 3M7
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