I own a small business in the city of Ventura and changed office suites in the same building. Every year, based on my sales, I pay for the privilege of having a city of Ventura business license. This license gives me no services and is just double taxation, since I collect sales tax on all of my sales and pay it to the state, which then gives Ventura its share.
I paid my business license as usual in July and had not received a copy of my license by mail. When I called, I was told my license was "put on hold" because I needed a new certificate of occupancy, which would cost me another $289 and required a Fire Department inspection. Everything is the same; I have just arranged things in a different manner in this new suite. I will get nothing for my $289, and, to add insult to injury, I must come down to City Hall to pay this fee since it must be paid before the inspection.
I can mail it in, but there is no assurance that it will be processed within 15 days, and I have scheduled this Fire Department inspection in 15 days since that is the first available time for the Fire Department.
This is 2008, folks. I should be able to go on line and pay this fee. Perhaps if the systems were brought up to 2008 standards, the fees could be lowered.
As a small-business owner in Ventura, I get to pay for a business license that provides no services, a Fire Department inspection that is really unnecessary, and I have the privilege of driving to City Hall to get this accomplished.
Maybe I want to check out what my options are in Oxnard.
-- Sandi Henderson, Oxnard
(The writer is president of Data 2000, Inc., in Ventura. -- Editor)