Letter to the Editor: Doing business

By Sun Advocate

Editor:
Carbon County requires all business operators in the county to pay for a business license. I don’t really see why a business has to pay for the right to invest in the county. We pay income tax, property tax, collect and pay sales tax and pay all the other special fees and taxes that specific businesses are required to pay. I don’t see where business owners get any return from their license fees and it just seems to be another way for the government to take our money.
Carbon County has taken business licensing to a whole new level of government power. Business licenses in Carbon County expire on December 31 and fees are not due until February 1, which means no one is required to have a legitimate business license the whole month of January. But on February 2, when your fee is one day late, your fee doubles.
Carbon County and organized crime are the only ones I can think of that charge 100 percent for a debt that is one day late and this is how they treat those who are investing in the county. Three of the five counties that border Carbon County don’t even have late fees on business licenses and the two that do charge $25 for 30 days late. Carbon County charges $100 for one day late.
Be careful if you choose to protest this outrageous penalty and tell “your” government what you think of it, because at fifteen days late and even though no neighboring county has a penalty for 15 days late, the Carbon County Sheriff gives you a criminal citation and you are looking at six months in jail.
On the 15th of January, you are not required to have a current business license but on the 15th of February, Carbon County wants to put you in jail for six months for not having one. It doesn’t matter if you have invested your life in this county or that you have had a business license for 12 years, ignorance rewards no one.
I operated a business in Carbon County for twelve years and spent a lot of money expanding that business and you will not find anyone who will say that I ever cheated them, failed to pay a debt or failed to keep a promise. I do not believe that our county government thinks they have the right to charge a county businessperson with a Class B misdemeanor for being 15 days late in paying this county for the right to invest in the county.
I sign this as a former Carbon County Democrat and business owner.