ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending Chapter 18 of the CODE of the City of Peoria Pertaining to the RENEWAL of LICENSES of STREET AND SIDEWALK VENDORS.
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BACKGROUND: Over the past few months, the City Council has debated allowing food trucks to operate from public rights-of-way in Peoria. As part of that discussion, Council has indicated a desire to strengthen requirements for reporting sales and being able to audit these businesses to ensure the City is receiving all taxes due. This discussion has extended beyond food trucks to also include current sidewalk vendors ("food carts"). The proposed ordinance adds a requirement that prior to a license being renewed, the applicant must present a record of sales from the previous year:
"When seeking a renewal, Downtown Business District Licensees must submit an accurate record of sales, organized by date, from the previous year. Upon request, the Licensee must produce documentation in a manner acceptable by the City sufficient to verify the record of sales, such as dated cash register records or numbered receipts. For 2016 renewals, these records should reflect sales made from June 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015."
This language has been incorporated into the food truck ordinance as well.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The ordinance change will require sidewalk vendors to report their sales and provide the City with a means of verifying tax receipts. This may lead to an increase in sales and restaurant taxes collected. Failure to comply with this provision will give the City the ability to revoke a license or deny a renewal.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: Downtown restaurant owners have consistently complained the food carts are not paying the proper amount of sales and restaurant taxes, giving them an unfair advantage.
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The ordinance will go into effect.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The ordinance will not go into effe...
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