Business License Tax Panel Seeks Members

The City Council agreed Tuesday to extend to Oct. 19 the application deadline for residents interested in joining the Business License Tax Review Committee.

The council nominated Councilman Kit Bobko and Mayor Peter Tucker to serve on the committee in July. Now the men must appoint three members of the public to serve with them and help analyze restructuring annual city taxes on local businesses.

The tax structure that the committee develops, and that the City Council approves, will then be up for a public vote in the November 2011 elections. 

Patch spoke with Bobko about how changes in business license taxes will affect the community.

Hermosa Beach Patch: Why was this committee formed?

Kit Bobko: Former Councilman Michael Keegan attempted to revamp the business licenses in town and there was some substantial opposition. So we thought we'd give it another shot this time… Whatever we come up with will go on the ballot in November 2011 [and] what we thought we'd do is give ourselves more time and make this a collaborative effort by coming up with a committee that would revitalize and revamp the business license fees in Hermosa Beach.

Patch: How exactly will this attempt be different from before?

Bobko: I hope this will be different from the first time where we'll have an open and collaborative process… There was some substantial outcry from the business community [before]... and some of that had to do with trying to get the proposal done back then in a shorter period of time. So there was a time crunch. This time it will be different because we've given ourselves a little bit more time.

Patch: How will this affect the community?

Bobko: This is going to be a committee that is going to determine how it is that Hermosa Beach taxes its businesses. Right now our tax structure in town is outdated. We need to at least modernize it and, what I hope, my hope of hopes, is that we're able to develop something that goes a step further and makes Hermosa Beach a place where people want to come do business, because the tax burden is less than it is in neighboring cities. It's a competitive advantage…. And I will be just one of five votes on the committee.

Patch: So who should sign up?

Bobko: Someone who can commit to doing the work. Someone who has a background in finance or business would be highly encouraged, although that's not a requirement, and someone who is willing to bring some creative ideas to the table.

Patch: Is there anything else important for the public to know about the Business License Tax Review Committee?

Bobko: The last thing I would say is, if someone is out there who thinks that they'd be interested but they're worried about getting involved, the best thing is, after this project is over, you will learn more about your city, meet more good people in town and be exposed to more things.

It will be a satisfying experience, because you will be contributing to the well-being of the city. If you're worried about negatives, the positives will far outweigh those things.

This will be on the ballot next November … The intention is that this will be a committee that exists for at least nine months, so there will be a starting date and then an end date. The committee will submit a [tax] plan that the City Council will vote on when it's time to put it on the ballot.

Applications to join the committee can be found on the city's website, and submitted to City Hall.