Council Candidate Challenged for Operating Unlicensed Swap Meet

February 15, 2012

Nieves Riedel, a council candidate on next month’s primary election, has disagreed with city officials over the legality of her ‘charity’ work. Riedel has allowed individuals and organizations to use the parking lot of her shopping center as a place of conducting fund-raising sales on Fridays and Saturdays, without obtaining a San Luis, AZ business license.

City officials call the sales taking place on Riedel’s commercial property, a swap meet, which would be subject to city business licensing regulations. Riedel argues that what’s going on is charity work, and that it doesn't need a city business license.

“This is not a garage sale,” she said. “It's not a swap meet. I don't get any money from it. This began as a way to help a family needing money. We don't see how city codes apply to us.”

Yuma Sun reports that “City officials, have told Riedel to get a license or shut down the operation.”

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