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<br />TUESDAY <br /> <br />JANUARY 11, 1983 <br /> <br />Attorney at Law, representing a number of individuals involved in the so-called home <br /> <br />occupation of direct selling, informed Council that he and his clients are in agree- <br /> <br />ment with the new "language" (i.e., the revisions now introduced), describing the <br /> <br />ordinance as now being more fair, although holding some reservations as to its <br /> <br />applicability to the so-called "small" commission merchants and the cost-effective- <br /> <br />ness but quite willing to accept these revisions for possible review after one year. <br /> <br />Dr. Nelson M. Fox, Jr., of Fox Enterprises representing Amway Products, raised some <br /> <br />questions as to the definition of "commission income" as well as of "bonus income", <br /> <br /> <br />meanwhile questioning the need, as now proposed, of listing, as examples of <br /> <br />commission merchants, the names of nationally-known firms associated with the direct <br /> <br />selling aspect. Mr. Philip G. Gardner, Attorney at Law, appearing on behalf of a <br /> <br />number of firms operating small loan businesses, such as Household Finance Corporation, <br /> <br />Barclays American, and Security Pacific Finance Corporation, registered opposition to <br /> <br />the proposed license-taxing of local office-operations of these and like firms at a <br /> <br />rate of 58~ per one hundred dollars of gross receipts inasmuch as the imposition and <br /> <br />application of this rate would increase each such local office-operation from the <br /> <br />present flat rate of $150.00 to approximately $2,000.00 per year, thus increasing the <br /> <br />possibility that, considering current economic conditions and the fact that many such <br /> <br />offices have been closed elsewhere during the past year, one or more of the local <br /> <br />offices or establishments might close in Martinsville to relocate outside the <br /> <br />corporate limits. <br /> <br />In considering Mr. Gardner's request for a considerably lower rate, <br /> <br />several members of Council favored the reducing of the proposed rate (of 58~) to 36~ <br /> <br />or even 20~, with the 20~ rate termed as being acceptable, according to Mr. Wayne Hall, <br /> <br />of Household Finance Corporation. Upon motion, duly seconded and unanimously carried, <br /> <br />Council accepted the revisions to the introduced tax ordinance, as hereinbefore pro- <br /> <br />posed by City Manager Edmonds and, too, directed that the ordinance reflect a rate of <br />