ANNISTON – A presentation by Anniston City Manager Brian Johnson on Monday evening indicates the city could stand to increase General Fund revenues by about $350,000 with a restructuring of the city’s business license fees. Johnson said consultants hired by the city recently performed an audit of the fee structure and found some aspects of it have not been changed since 1891.
Johnson said Alabama cities on average see almost 10 percent of General Fund revenue come from business license fees, compared to 3 percent of Anniston revenue coming from that same source. Numbers from the consulting firm show Anniston’s revenue from business licenses is among the lowest of other cities of similar size, he said.
Johnson told those in attendance at Monday’s public meeting that input from consultants and local business owners led to his recommendation for the business license fee restructuring. Used car dealer and vice president of the Alabama Independent Automobile Dealers Association Pokey Brimer spoke at a public hearing regarding Johnson’s recommendation and said he appreciated the city’s approach to include businesses in a potential restructuring of business license fees.
The City Council did not take any action on Johnson’s recommendation on Monday. Mayor Vaughn Stewart saying the presentation was a way to allow council members to receive feedback from community members.