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PAGE8.iWHITBY FREE PRESS, yWfDNJRAY, SEP¡TßBp F 3, 1 9 whitby b siness Cab owners wouldl be hit hardest by fee increase By Trudie Zavadovies Whitby cab owners are crying 'No Fair' to a 400 per cent increase in licencing fees. "If I can't earn more money, I shouldn't be forced to pay more money," Chris Pelgrims, co- owner of Bell and Bowman Taxi, told the Town works committee at a meeting Sept. 5. The Town is proposing changes in licencing fees for almost 50. categories of businesses as an attempt to recover Town, administration costs for the licencing. The taxi industry would be among the hardest ht, as the fee for a taxi cab owner would climb to $50 from $10, for a driver to $30 from $10, and for a taxi cab broker, $30 from $25. Pelgrims who owns 17 cabs, now pays Ï170 in licencing fees. The proposed increase to $50 per cab would force Pelgrims to pay $850. 'We are getting the biggest single increase than any other business, plus you are controlling our revenues," said Pelgrim. "We haven't had a fare Iincrease in three years." "Are these increases in line with other commuhities?," asked 'councillor Dennis Fox. "The disparities are so great," said Town clerk Don McKay. "We only licence two types of businesses," he said, referring to the proposed $50 fee for businesses as they require in- spections, and $30 for theilicenc- ing of persons in a specified business. "The $50 barely covers costs." The licencing fee changes affect a wide array of business, from adult entertainment parlors (no change in $50 fee) to dry cleaning establishments (to $50 from $5). Fees fbr some business w l go down. Pool halls would have a flat fee of $50, instead of the more costly per table fee. Body rub arlors go to $30 from $10. Go-krt tracks would drop to $50 fromthe current $150 fee, arid pawn- broker fees drop to $50 from $100. "Does Mr. Pelgrims' have a point?" asked councillor Tom Edwards. . "Councillor Bugelli does high- light some inconsistencies and inadequacies," said Edwards, noting how Bugelli criticized the proposed fees. "The Town currently takes in $15 000 in licencing fees," said Mckay. "Administration costs are in excess of $30,000 per annum. The fee is simply to cover costs." A motion was passed for a study of business licence fees in surrounding municipalities to learn comparative costs wlhere available before a decision on the Whitby licencing proposal is made. 3 new stores open at Pearson Lanes Dynes and Lloyd jewelry Paul Dynes was brought up in the jewelry business and now he is ready to offer that experience to local residents. He and wife Susan recently opened their jewelry store, Dynes and Lloyd, in the newest addi- tion to Pearson Lanes. "I have .been in the retail business for 17 years," said Dynes, who for the past four years owned a jewelry business in Toronto. Before that he wor- ked in the business with his parents. "We thought of moving to Whitby four years ago, but it was really in January that we started looking for a store location and a house. The Dynes were impressed by the "style" of Pearson Lanes, and by owner Bill Little. They lease 700 sq. ft. Dynes does not feel his store will be in competition with the three jewelry stores now in Whitby. "There are enough peaple in Whitby to support four jewelry stores." Besides selling jewelry, Dynes, a gemologist also handles repairs and will do appraisals. Fun Fashion for kids KATHY BAZARIN gets stock ready at as Yvette, her daughter and co-owner, A need in Whitb for "some- her new store, Motif, in Pearson Lanes looks on. thing more" in chiliren"'s clothes Free Pres photo led to the establishment of Fun Fashion For Kids, says owner Judy Davis. "Once you get into the teenage market, it can be very risky. Their styles change rapidly," said Davis, who worked part-time in ladies' fashions before opening the store. She has leased 1,000 sq. ft. at Pearson Lanes which she chose for her location because it is central to .Whitby's downtown and is a "great location for tour- ists. "This is a very unique build- ing," she said.