briefing – license fee for pushcarts

LicenseFeeforPushcarts

LicenseFeeforPushcarts:OperationofapushcartsellingfoodorothergoodsintheCityrequiresastreetpeddler’slicenseandapushcartemblem.

BackgroundIndividualssellingfoodorothergoodsfromapushcartarerequiredtoobtainapeddler’slicense.Peddler’slicensesarerequiredforavarietyofactivites,includingpushcartsandstreetperformers,andareissuedbytheDepartmentofBusinessAffairsandConsumerProtection(BACP).Thepeddler’slicenseisatwo-yearlicensewithafeeof$100.BACPissued850peddler’slicensesin2014,anestimated200ofwhichwereforpushcarts.Inadditiontothepeddler’slicense,theoperatorofapushcartmustobtainanemblemtoaffixtothepushcartfromtheCityClerkatthetimethepeddler’slicenseisissueorrenewed.RevenueImpactIn2014,revenuefromthe$100two-yearpeddler’slicensewas$80,000.Thereisnochargeforthepushcartemblem.Increasingfeesonpushcartsbyaddinga$20emblemfeeonthesamecycleasthepeddler’slicense,orincreasingthecurrentpeddler’slicensefeeby20%to$120,couldyieldanestimated$5,000.LegalAuthorityIncreasingpeddler’slicensefeesorchargingapushcartfeeiswithintheCity’sauthorityandrequiresanamendmenttotheMunicipalCode.StatelawgivestheCitytheauthoritytotax“hawkers,peddlers,…itinerantmerchants,transientvendorsofmerchandise…”65ILCS5/11-42-5.