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Would you go to an unlicensed doctor? Lawyer? Medical practitioner?
No? Why not?
As a professional health practitioner in my home state, one was required to produce a license in order to work. No license? No shingle. It never occurred to me not to pay the license fee as it was a ticket to work.
A month ago I called Connecticut to inquire about a lawyer’s standing with the State and the Bar. The woman commented that he was “not in good standing” and qualified that was “because he has not paid the fee to renew his license”. She found it necessary to distinguish this reason from an ethical violation or malpractice issue.
Recently, I called the Town [of Oro Valley] to check on three business licenses. None of the three in question had a license in Oro Valley. Yet all of them serviced my Oro Valley subdivision. One of the contractors and I were doing business since 2005, for five and a half years! Neither did they have licenses in Marana or City of Tucson where they also advertised. The gentleman who responded said the Town did not investigate business licenses because it didn’t have the manpower.
The 5.5 year contractor was not registered with State of Arizona State to collect and pay sales tax either. Where did all the sales tax revenue I paid on those bills go?
My call to Oro Valley to check on their business licenses was a fluke. If a random call uncovered three unlicensed businesses, how many more business owners in this Town do not pay their admission ticket of a simple business license? How much money would be generated by insisting on their paying up for Oro Valley coffers?
Does Oro Valley think it is “business friendly” by not collecting fees for a business license? Police are called to these establishments to enforce the law and with OVPD‘s new partnership with business. During such a visit, without any additional work hours and travel, they can ask for a copy of their business license and verify it with the Town. The law requires that businesses have a current license to operate. This seems like an appropriate use of our law enforcement department.
Michelle Saxer
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