5 West Valley View, Avondale, Arizona, Friday, May 11, 2012
Different fees for
different businesses? Goodyear considers charging restaurants less than convenience stores for license renewal
by Rachel Trott staff writer
Certain Goodyear businesses that sell liquor might not have to pay a liquor license renewal fee starting July 1. The City Council met this week to discuss Goodyear’s draft budget for fiscal year 2013, which includes a proposal to stop charging businesses an administrative fee to renew their liquor license.
favor of separating license renewal fees according to business type. Councilman Bill Stipp said he had a difficult time accepting the concept that different businesses should pay different fees for the same administrative cost of renewing a license.
Currently, Goodyear businesses selling liquor are required to pay an administrative fee of $635 to obtain a license and an additional $635 administration fee to renew it each year. While the policy change to rescind license renewal fees came from the council, its members were divided on whether it should apply to all businesses or just restaurants because of differences in sales tax.
Restaurants vs. convenience stores
Restaurants in Goodyear are subject to a 4 percent sales tax versus 2.5 percent for other businesses such as convenience and liquor stores. “I have a problem with the renewal on the restaurants because they’re paying the 4 percent sales tax,” Councilman Joe Pizzillo said. “Even though they collect it from their customers, it’s a tax on business that’s passed on to their customers.” Vice Mayor Joanne Osborne said she also favors removing the license renewal
renewal fee is that it’s a fee to cover the costs of processing the license renewal,” he said. “We’re actually talking about two separate things: one is a fee and one is a tax. I have a hard time saying that because you own a liquor store, or a convenience store, that you’re going to pay more than if you own a restaurant for exactly the same thing.”
Revenues, future discussion The city processed 80 liquor license
renewal applications last year, two- thirds of which belonged to restaurants, Budget and Research Manager Terri Canada said.
“The whole point of the liquor license Not all council members were in Night flights at Luke AFB
fees only for restaurants. “It’s setting the precedent for the fact that we’re only at 10 percent build out, we’re looking at the future of the city and I see a difference between the two entities of a convenience store and a restaurant,” she said.
may bring extra jet noise The Air Force has announced later- than-normal flight operations tonight at Luke Air Force Base.
As a result, there may be more flight noise than usual during evening hours, according to the Luke Public Affairs Office.
Healthy relationship meeting set in Avondale
New Life Center Outreach Program, in partnership with the Avondale Neighborhood and Families Services Department, will host a workshop that will focus on healthy relationships. The free workshop is set for 5 to 6:30 p.m. May 14 at Care1st Avondale Resource and Housing Center, 328 W. Western Ave., in Avondale. The workshop is aimed at older teens and adults and will offer information on healthy relationships, ways to assess if a relationship is healthy and what to do if caught in an abusive relationship. To register, call 623-333-2703.
If the current proposal were adopted in the budget for fiscal year 2013, the city would lose an estimated $50,000 to $55,000 in revenue, she said. The City Council will hold another
Avondale libraries offer job-seeker workstations Workstations have been set up at the
work session May 14 to go over additional questions on the draft budget and revisit the proposal to rescind liquor license renewal fees. A tentative budget adoption is schedule for May 21 with the final budget scheduled for adoption June 25.
Rachel Trott can be reached by email at
rtrott@westvalleyview.com or on Twitter @byracheltrott.
two Avondale libraries as a resource for people who are seeking employment. The workstations have been offered through a partnership with the Arizona Job Assistance Centers.
Users can access information and tutorials that will guide them through the application process, as well as resume writing and preparing for interviews. The workstations are offered at the
Avondale Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, and the Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library, 495 E. Western Ave.
For details, visit
www.avondale.org/ library.
Litchfield Park starts summer-class registration Open registration has begun in
Litchfield Park for a number of summer offerings, including lessons and camps. Children may be signed up for youth camps, group swimming lessons, private swim lessons, family fitness programs and more. Registration began May 5. For times and dates, call Litchfield
Park Recreation at 623-935-9040, or stop by 100 S. Old Litchfield Road during business hours.
Buckeye VFW lodge will host installation dinner The Buckeye chapter of the Veterans
of Foreign Wars has announced plans for an installation dinner for new members. The event will be at 6 p.m. Saturday
at The 19th Hole, the restaurant at the Sundance Golf Club, 900 S. Sundance Parkway.
The cost will be $15 per person, including the dinner, tax and gratuity.
Buckeye named by group as playground friendly
Buckeye is one of nine Arizona communities to be named as a friendly place for children’s playgrounds. The recognition was announced May 1 by KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit playground-support group based in Washington, D.C.
In its “Playful City USA” campaign, the group cited 213 communities throughout the nation for efforts to increase play opportunities for children. Other Arizona cities to receive the designation are Casa Grande, Chandler, Coolidge, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix and Tempe.
MY STORY, MY DESIGN
Make her day SPECIAL
Litchfi eld Elementary School District
Now accepting applications for K-5 Traditional Academy
for the 2012-2013 School Year
The Litchfi eld Elementary School District is now taking applications for students in grades K-5 who wish to be considered for enrollment during the 2012-2013 school year in our newly forming Litchfi eld Traditional Academy. This pro- gram will be off ered on the Scott Libby Campus (18701 West Thomas Avenue) as an independent program or “school within a school” serving students from within the district and outside of the district.
Highlights of the LESD program: •• Core Knowledge Framework
Sterling silver charms from $25 Exp rience at: th
(In the Fry’s Shopping Center)
–May 13th
Buy the PANDORA Cherished Mother’s Gift Set (one PANDORA clasp bracelet,
two sunburst clips, the MOM charm, and a charm valued at $35 or less) for $200.* *Good while supplies last. See our store for details.
Integrated PE & Arts
Accelerated and Rigorous Classical Curriculum •• Foreign Language component in all grades.
•• Singapore Math and Inquiry Based Science •• Heavy Emphasis on Technology Integration •• Hands-On Conceptual Learning
Great Books Classical Literature and Socratic Discussion
High Parent Involvement
Lower Class Size Applications for fall entrance are being accepted until June 1, 2012 on a fi rst come, fi rst serve basis. For more information please visit the Litchfi eld Elementary School District Website:
http://www.lesd.k12.az.us and click on Traditional Academy.
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