Fasano business tax receipt compliance

57:54Mr. Fasada, time for you. And welcome to the BOCC. Oh, good morning. Good morning, Mr.

58:01Chairman. We're always happy to have you here. Is it okay to remove this? Yes, sir. A little more than six feet. Well first I want to thank you for allowing me to come. I won't be but a few minutes this morning. I I want to thank your uh county attorney and his staff and uh addressing one of the issues that we had brought to your attention and that was dealing with the business tax receipt issue that we uh of course here in Pasco County. Um Uh we were hoping that we could make some changes to it. I understand uh and ri reading what the the uh

58:32uh county attorney sent to me that would be difficult because of uh uh uh the laws that were put in place and it's very i uh almost impossible to make any changes and uh I was probably there when we made those changes, but um uh of course today I I wish I wish there would be an opportunity for the county to address it. Uh it's so archaic. Uh I one, I believe that uh it's it's extremely difficult. Two, I think it's unfair that uh someone that om opens a business up With

59:02a gardening or a lawn system uh a lawn and gardening service. is paying at some times the same that uh uh uh rates, if you will, that like a Walmart is paying. And uh I think it's sometimes it's unfair, but there's not much that can be done. Um I'm hoping that maybe you can uh look deep and and and see if there's anything that can be made uh done to make it better. Uh, I also would ask you that uh if we're going to have a business tax receipt requirement in Pasco. Let's enforce it. I'm

59:34here to help in any way I can. And I'll give you a perfect example. Uh when you were extremely generous in providing money to businesses. uh late last year after the COVID situation, County got money and you were very generous giving out money to Pasco businesses. One of the requirements was To have a business tax receipt. We were overwhelmed. Overwhelmed. by businesses that were in place

1:00:04here in Pasco County for years. Uh they realize when you saw the application that you required them to fill out to get this assistance that they had a B had to have a BTR. So we picked up some new businesses that time. When they didn't realize they needed one. I don't know if it's lack of education. I don't know if it's lack of uh they don't care. Uh, but in my opinion, you have still a lot of businesses out there. Many

1:00:34think they don't need one. Uh our staff, of course, our tax department hears from people, the little guy and gal, the small businessman and woman who call us daily who want to make certain they do it right. and to see if they need a BTR. Most people do need a BTR. Most businesses, there are some exceptions, of course. Um and I would also ask you this, when we do find a business. uh that has not had one. For years. They're not even a Pasco resident, but

1:01:04own a business in Pasco. Let's not give him a slap on the wrist. And a fine should be appropriate. If you're gonna have em if you're gonna find them, let's make sure it sticks. Because I believe then people will say to me, Well, why bother having one? I get one every year. I pay my renewal. Here's a company, the big company that makes a lot of money. They find out they don't have one, they get a slap on the back of the wrist. Why bother should I then renew my business tax receipts? And

1:01:35so I would only ask you that if we're gonna have it, let's make sure that you would consider Of course um uh uh making sure that it works and and and and uh not just giving a slap on the back of the wrist of those who are avoiding it or not even asking questions. Heck, You're not even supposed to be opening a business in Pasco County without proof that you have a BTR.

1:01:58And yet we have businesses today in Pasco that do not have one. I don't have the resources. I don't have the staff to run up and down US 19 or Little Road or uh Land O' Lakes Boulevard to find out who has one or not. I would love to do that because I know we'd find many. So anyway, with all with that said, I want to also thank you. Uh thank you and Dan Biles, your health department. The leadership on this commission is second to none. I I I was saying to Dan the other day. That's

1:02:29right. I wish other counties would have followed your lead on how to deal with uh providing vaccines to our County residents. When you read and hear about the disasters that are going on throughout the state. There's no better better place to be than in Pasco County. You've done it right. Our County Health Department has done it right. Our EOC staff. They've done it right. Uh the way you've gone into the different fifty-five and older communities,

1:03:00man. That's just wonderful. And I hear from those seniors every day. They are so happy to have someone come into their community and be able to give them that vaccination That vaccine to make them feel, you know, someone cares about them and it's working. And I read and hear about it all the time. And uh I I would hope that the rest of the state would maybe take a lesson of what you've done, what Pasco County has done, what our Department of Health and our EOC has done to make people safer in this community. And we thank

1:03:30you for that. So God bless you all. Have a wonderful day. Thank you. I'd say lunch is on On me but uh never mind.

1:03:38Sorry.

1:03:39Um good to see you. Uh I recall you and I having a conversation a number of years ago about the BTRs, which used to be called, I think, Occupational Licension.

1:03:48That's correct, many years ago. I I got one when I opened up uh when I used to do lawns and sprinkler systems when I was a little kid. Yeah.

1:03:54And I I think there's been some confusion ever since. Yes,

1:03:57ma'am.

1:03:58But I I remember being in a meeting with um I can't remember his name. The uh person who was in kind of in charge of economic development, the tall guy with the The mustache. Richard Geary. Oh yeah. And um he had done an analysis of the BTRs and how many businesses are uh uh uh uh We had There was such a humongous discrepancy. Uh Mr. Fasano is absolutely right that that we have the majority I would say of businesses do

1:04:28not have a BTR. So I'm wondering if We can help that along by You know, if we we're collecting some kind of taxes, they have to be registered with the state. They just don't come in and register with us. So is there some way that we can reconcile that? Um, Dan, I don't even know what department that would be. Um but is there a way to get a list of those who don't have the BTR?

1:04:52Can we cross-reference them to Sumbiz.org?

1:04:55Seems like there should be a way to cross reference

1:04:57Mr. Chairman M so you if you have a b uh a business, you should obviously you should be registered with the state. Right.

1:05:05Not all businesses commission that's a great question. Not all businesses are registered with the state. If you don't need a state license, right, you know, and if you're not using a fictitious name, you don't need to register with the state. That's where the killer is.

1:05:19Have an LEC in the state of Florida, right? I mean that's one way you could cross reference. Right. But if not, if you're not f if you're not filing your articles of corporation every year in the state of Florida, obviously you're right. You run into that. And then you can but there's also the sales tax, right? So who's registered for sales tax? But not everybody's paying

1:05:34sales tax

1:05:35as we As

1:05:38we know. I I found that I was talking to Dr. Zingali, of course, the d the head of the Department of Revenue, great guy. And he was telling me there's still a few businesses in Pasco that are charging the higher sales tax. But he said, Not to worry, Fasano. Pasco is getting it. We're making sure of that. So you're getting a little bit of bonus. But uh yeah. Yeah, yes, sir. Yeah. That's good to hear.

1:06:00But I do I do think there's a way that we could cross-reference and then send out a nice little letter or figure out some way, but um maybe we do a some kind of PR campaign. But I do think people should be Compli complying and it's not fair to the when the little guys are and the big guys aren't.

1:06:15Yes, ma'am.

1:06:18It it ranges. It ranges on the amount of employees you have, what kind of business you have. And I'll give you a f perfect example. You could have let's say uh a medical doctor. He or she needs a business tax receipt, but if they're if they go to t like if if they go or belong to five different offices, each one of those offices need a business tax receipt. Yeah. Each location. Each location. That's correct.

1:06:44We can all help, you

1:06:45know,

1:06:45whenever we go into a business, just ask and

1:06:47let them know. Yeah.

1:06:48All the county employees, you know, people

1:06:50go in. You don't see my name on the little thing up in the right. They don't got one. But it's not a good idea.

1:06:57Where is it supposed to be displayed at?

1:06:59It needs to be displayed as soon as you walk in, it has to be displayed visibly where normally they put it where you're You know, c checking out, cash you know, cashing out your ticket or whatever, but it has to be clear that you have a business tax receipts. Yeah. You know, they're not at that ex I mean, it's not like they're thousands of dollars, you know. Exactly.

1:07:18Yeah. Yeah.

1:07:20Yeah. It's not, Mr. Chairman M so it's and it's not and I hate to say it, it's not uncommon and without naming a business, obviously. But I I was doing it wasn't in Pasco, but I was doing some I was doing some consulting a few years back. for a business in Hillsbrook County. And um I was Without g I'm trying not to give it away, right? Um I was working with them on some contracts. And things and needed and with that, um, they needed to submit their um either occupational license or business tax receipt.

1:07:51Well, we they're like, we've never had one. I go, oh no. You you need one. And this was in this was actually, and they were within the city of Tampa. So they actually needed one for the city of Tampa in Hillsborough County both, if I'm not correct, back then. Um, and they didn't have one either. And this was a very large organization. We didn't know we needed one. Yeah,

1:08:09I thought that was.

1:08:10I'm like, Well, you can't go forward with this unless you go get one. So I would I highly suggest you Truck on down to the tax collector's office and and get one if or you're not getting this other business that you're going after.

1:08:21How many times times we'll we'll have have gotten a call, especially when that new uh Uh they call it the Tampa Mall. It drives me crazy. The mall in Wesley Chapel, I call it. Um but um the outlets, yes. Yeah, yeah. I want to go one night and change the sign. Do it together. How many businesses from there? uh would call us up and say, now they're calling from their corporate office. They're ready to open up their major store in that

1:08:51area. And they don't have a BTR. We've had to tell people Do not open that office up, send they've had to send people, one of their employees, to the tax collector's office down the street or Wesley Chapel office to get a BTR so they could open up. Has at the as they announced because they had announced they were gonna have a grand opening that day. Totally clueless. Yeah.

1:09:12Is there a letter or a flyer, a standard letter and a flyer that we can Um

1:09:21in my opinion I don't think someone should get a uh uh a C O. Until they show proof that they have a BTR. I think that's a very I don't know if it can be done legally, m uh Yeah, county attorney. But it would be it would be something that would be required to get your final CO that you have to show that you have your BTR if it's required. Technically, I think business is right there.

1:09:46Technically the building official has to issue a CO if it complies with the Florida build building code. Gotcha. And we can't add requirements.

1:09:54We can hand them something, a form, something.

1:09:57Yeah.

1:09:59Or a you know, as part of the process, just inform them. Right, right. Give 'em something.

1:10:04And just so you know, it's approximately six hundred thousand dollars to to the county that you get in business tax taxes. And uh if if we're all correct, which I think we are, where we have many that are not do not have one, it's it's monies out there that uh taxpayers uh are not receiving. Mm-hmm.

1:10:23You know? And it's good for us to know. You know, it helps us with dem demographics of the county, I think, as well. Well

1:10:31yeah, you're right.

1:10:39It's everyone or don't do it at all. Correct. So make a choice, right? I mean either You get rid of it? Totally? Or we make sure everybody's compliant because it's not fair to again, especially like you mentioned, the one and two person mom and pop place. I have one for a consulting business.

1:11:00I don't know if I need it for real, but this one because I might even be, you know, because but but I still have one. Yes. Right. Um But you're right. I mean so Everybody plays? We don't do it at all.

1:11:13Right. It does help um sometimes with the Sheriff's Department, as you know, business tax receipt. Um it also Um, I think having a business registered in some form or fashion with the county helps a lot as well. Yeah. If somebody complains about a business and you find they don't have a BTR, right away they're in violation of of uh your county uh ordinance or county code.

1:11:40God bless you all. Have a wonderful day. Thank you. Thank you very much. Keep up the good work. Appreciate it.