Business Owners Have Said “Minor Privilege” Fees Are Burdensome
Baltimore
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced Tuesday that she is reducing or
eliminating dozens of fees charged to the city’s small business owners for
items such as outdoor security cameras, lights, and bike racks, which are
deemed to be in the public right of way.
Rawlings-Blake said her Administration is eliminating 23 fees including charges
for wheelchair ramps, outdoor lights, security cameras and bicycle racks.
Instead, businesses will be required to pay a one-time $25 registration fee to
the city. Rawlings-Blake is also moving to reduce 13 fees which had been
charged annually, making them one-time charges instead. City collections from
the fees are expected to decline from $2.7 million annually to about $850,000.
Baltimore’s Board of Estimates is expected to vote Wednesday on the changes,
which would be the first reduction of the so-called minor privilege fees in
decades.
What This Means For Small Business:
Baltimore small business owners have
long complained that the minor privilege fees are burdensome and prevented them
from improving their businesses. A reduction in the fees will leave them with
more money to reinvest in their establishments or hire additional staff.
Additional Reading:
The Baltimore Sun and the Baltimore Business Journal both report on the
fee changes.
This news article is intended to keep small business owners apprised of current events that may affect them. It does not necessarily reflect NFIB’s policy position on such issues.
