Madison County Imposes New Business License Fee

November 18, 2011

County supervisors have approved an ordinance that would tack on an extra $30 to county business owners’ expenses. Beginning January 1, 2012 business owners will be required to obtain a Madison, VA business license and pay a $30 fee for the license.

While $30 may not seem like a lot to most business owners, events vendors have expressed frustration at the extra expense. Most vendors are required to pay approximately $100 for each event they are present at; the extra $30 business license fee could be the determining factor for small vendors on their profit margin.

Some county officials and residents feel that the extra revenue in licensing fees is not worth the potential harm the fees could have on the community. They believe that many vendors won’t sell their wares if the cost at doing business outweighs their potential profits. This in turn could hurt the tourism industry which flourishes during county festivals.

Madison Eagle quotes Madison Chamber of Commerce President Steve Grayson having said, “You have to be real careful when you consider this county generates a whole lot more money per year off of tourism dollars that those events (festivals) generate than this small amount of money you’d collect as a result of a $30 business license fee.”

Despite the criticism to the new law, county officials have approved the new licensing measure. All county businesses have until March 1, 2012 to apply for the new county business license.

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