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Century No Longer Doubling Business Tax Rates
September 20, 2011
The Town of Century has made an about-face on plans to effectively double the town’s business taxes, instead opting to charge the same rate as Escambia County.
Century failed to update their business license regulations and fees as required by the state by 2008, forcing the town to backtrack and fix the error. Under state law, Century could adopt the fee schedule of another Florida government. The town had settled on the Fellsmere, Fla., fee schedule, which would have increased average business tax receipt — the permit required to conduct business in the town — from the current $25 to $55 or more. Under the Fellsmere plan, some businesses such pharmacies, entertainment establishments and factories would have paid $100 or more per year.
Monday night, the Century Town Council voted to adopt the business tax receipt rate of $26.25 per year charged by Escambia County. Business tax receipts are normally due October 1, but Century won’t be able approve a final resolution on the new tax rate until their next council meeting on October 3, so city officials said the tax bills will be a little late arriving the mail.
In 1971, the responsibility of issuing building licenses in Florida shifted from the state to local governments. Century adopted a business license schedule in 1981. But following the 2005 to 2006 Florida hurricanes, Florida mandated that the business licenses should no longer be called a “license”, but rather a “tax”, such as the “business tax receipt” in Escambia County.
At last report, there were 56 companies and individuals that held a businesses license in Century, generating only about $1,400 per year in revenue.
Pictured: Food Giant (top) and Whataburger (inset) are just two of 56 companies and individuals in Century that will now pay $26.25 per year for their business tax receipt. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
10 Responses to “Century No Longer Doubling Business Tax Rates”
REGARDING:
“Those companies that run delivery trucks into Century—-ride on the roads that Century taxes have provided to pave and upkeep.”
Century taxes? Perhaps taxes gathered in Century. For example, if I shop at Burger King, I pay sales tax. One and a half cents of the seven and a half percent sales tax is Local Option Sales Tax. Half a cent goes to the school system, one cent goes to things like road paving and maintenance. Therefore even people who don’t live in Century — nay, MOSTLY people who don’t live in Century — paid to pave those streets. (We don’t mind since we drive on them too, but it really isn’t like the people of Century alone bore the expense.)
And, of course, US 29 upkeep is paid by the state and County Road 4 and 4A are paid by the county.
It doesn’t matter to me. If Century were to raise expense of operating in Century too highly all businesses would move out and those outside would refuse to deliver or would add a surcharge. Ultimately, the individuals pay everything whether they realize it or not.
David indifferent
Businesses in Century due pay the requried fees; however, they should not bear the burden of the Democratic milk the cow till one finds out that it is bull fees that will dive business from the community.
Best of luck in the big city of northern Alabama.
Sometimes a small town mentality just doesn’t get the big picture.
I am far from a democrat.
But if Century roads are being used by a company to do business in Century—they should pay up.
Oversight:
Why do you think that companies that do business in Century, should not have to pay for a license? That sounds more like something a communist country would do.
Those companies that run delivery trucks into Century—-ride on the roads that Century taxes have provided to pave and upkeep.
“moved to the big city,” it’s probably best that you gone up to the big city and are now paying all those fees and taxes in Alabama. It is attitudes just as your’s posted here that harken of Obama and his cronies – Democrats.
Oversight: I am FAR from being a democrat.
But a company such as Whataburger…only paying $26.25 annually to have a business in a city limits? You need to re-read my statement. I was stating $1400 monthly for all 56. Not $1400 monthly for Whataburger. You can’t tell me that Whataburger could afford $26.25 a month to the city instead of a whopping $2.19/month.
Ms. Brooks: I live 3 hours away…and never lived Century (but Bratt) for over 20 years. These rules that Florida is mandating for license/fee schedule just doesn’t seem right. I live in Alabama and have a small part-time business on the side. I do not have a store front—as I use my home. I pay $50 per year for my business license and a $5.00 issuance fee.
Is Century regulating businesses without a store front?
(every Mary Kay/Pampered Chef/Scentsy/Creative Memories consultant should be paying to operate a business)
Is Century requiring delivery vehicles—or companies making deliveries into the city limits–to purchase a license/fee schedule? They should. If a Century resident purchases a washer/dryer at Sears/Best Buy etc. in Pensacola and have it delivered to their home in Century—-Sears and Best Buy should be having to pay something to Century. If a Century resident is purchasing furniture/mattresses in Pensacola—and having them delivered to their home in Century—-the funiture/mattress store should be having to pay Century something. They are coming into Century and conducting business.
In reference to “moved to the big city”
You must be a Democrat who sees every successful business as a cash cow for more and bigger government. Why can’t the town’s coffers just be happy with the thousands upon thousands of tax revenue dollars that a business like Whataburger generates from its many sales? And that $1,400 per month extortion you’re pushing the company hand over to the town, well that is money a business could use to employ another full time worker. If you make it not profitable though death by taxation, businesses will go elsewhere and then there’ll be nothing but vacant, overgrown lots and unemployment left in your destructive wake.
The Town Council agrees with “moved to the big city”. We wish that we could charge businesses such as Whataburger more than we charge a small business. However, state law will not allow Century to arbitrarily set a fee schedule. It came to our attention this year that we had to adopt the fee schedule of another Florida government that had performed the required study. After attempting to obtain fee schedules of many Florida governments and studying those that we were able to obtain, we decided to adopt the City of Fellsmere’s fee schedule. The Council held a workshop, which was open to the public, to study the implementation issues. The amount of data necessary to assess the business tax on each business would have been burdensome on our current staff, yet it would not have been enough to justify hiring another employee. We decided to review a few other Florida government fee schedules that had been suggested to us to see if we could find any which would be less onerous. A review of these fee schedules led to the same decision; so, we decided to adopt Escambia County’s current fee schedule which is $26.25 for every business, regardless of size. This was the best decision we felt we could make given the restrictions placed on us by Florida statutes. William does a good job reporting our Council meetings, but he does not have space to transcribe the entire meeting. If you wish to give input, I invite you to attend our Council meetings.
I am perplexed at why a business license fee only costs $26.25 a chain such as Whataburger. Perhaps that is the problem the Town of Century is in such bad financial shape. Century needs to get with the program and charge a fee based on 2011 and not 1967. Come on—a decent business license…along with an issuance fee would and could generate some good revenue. I can’t imagine that out of 56 companies…that only generates $1400 in revenue annually. That is what the city should be receiving at least monthly.
Amazing what kind of changes a good ole election can make!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!