CLEARFIELD, Utah — A stark increase in business license fees in Clearfield City leaves local business owners in shock.
“I was very surprised because the first I heard about it,” said Karen Blackwell, a veteran and owner of Bean’s Coffee, “I haven't even seen a letter yet for mine. It might be in my, I've been traveling so it might be in my coffee shop mailbox.”
Blackwell heard about the increase in business license fees through a Facebook post from a Clearfield convenience store owner who posted the letter he received from the city, noting a nearly $5,000 hike up from his current charges.
By 2024, Blackwell’s charges will increase by hundreds of dollars.
“$695 is a huge hit to a little business like mine,” she said.
Clearfield City Manager J.J. Allen said it was long overdue.
“This is something that we’ve recognized needed to be done for a long time. And we’ve held off on it,” said Allen.
He said the last time they reviewed the fees was in 2008 through a study.
The city launched another study in 2022, which analyzed the disproportionate costs of police calls for businesses.
Communications Director for the City Shaundra Rushton said it was eye-opening.
“It is very based on the business category and how much they use our services,” said Rushton, “So for example, convenience stores are going up a lot more than salons or dance studios, mostly because of the police costs, because we respond to a lot more calls at like the 7 Eleven versus the salon next door. And so that’s why they’re going up a lot more.”
Allen said the decision to increase fees was made with taxpayers and city services for everyone in mind.
“The reality is for all of these years, the residents, the taxpayers of Clearfield have been subsidizing that, because the business license fees for all these years have been artificially low,” said Allen, “As a whole, we’ll be as a city, as an organization better able to provide the services that the city requires.”
Blackwell said as a citizen of Clearfield, she has mixed feelings about the change.
“I do understand needing to fund the city, but there are a lot of taxes that we already pay as a business, things like that," said Blackwell. "So, I was just very shocked to see such a significant increase for several different types of businesses knowing that right now it is difficult, to be in business."
Blackwell also said she also wishes there was more communication from the city.
“You know, we could have known about this last year that there was a problem and there needed to be some changes in business fees, but let us have some input,” she said, “You may not listen to it, but at least our voice is heard. At least we felt we would feel like we had some say in the process.”
