Mayor Joe Peel broke a 4-4 tie Monday night to turn down a request by Internet sweepstakes café operators seeking a prorated refund of privilege license fees they paid before the state Supreme Court outlawed their operations.
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Comments
No inherent right to a refund
The real reason for keeping the fees is that the city really can't afford to start the practice of refunding unused portions of any fees at all. Think how far it could go! Not only would it create a financial drain on the city but it would also create another layer of costs to simply keep track of it properly.
Council did make the right decision even though it does not feel good to those who paid the fees.
Morally, they should refund the money. But I think on a practical level I understand what they are doing.
On the other hand, I run a business, not around here, and when I buy a permit I know that none of it is refundable even if the job cancels on me ... it is part of the risks I take while running a business. I protect myself with contract cancellation clauses and require upfront payment of fees from customers to prevent a capital loss on my part.
Business is business and I too believe that the operators of the cafe's knew there was a calculated risk they were taking ... it just did not go their way this time.
There will be a next time, and based on the size of the fees being discussed in the article, I hardly think they can say they lost money! Those machines were warm and fuzzy little cash dispensers for the owners.
Ken Smith I'm still thinking about running again for council in 2013 but Ray is doing a fine job so far :)
sallie not tony
to fdavis62 and all the rest.
You are calling people thieves. You have stated that Council who voted against your ideas are stealing the money paid to them for serving on council.
Wow. I'm glad no one is paying attention because City Council members have a set monthly allowance, and it is minimal for the hours they put in.
And I say this not just for my husband, but for all the Council members. If you think its a walk in the park to be on City Council, RUN.
RUN for Council fdavis62. Run and serve and take the late night calls about barking dogs and go to 3 or 4 Crime Watch Meetings a month and hear what a bad job you're doing because thugs are killing each other.
And then read in the blogs about how you're a thief.
Gosh, why don't youngsters want to go into public service?
I agreee Ms Stimatz
I agree with everything you say Ms Stimatz!! Being an owner of one of the Internet Cafes I would like to say that having been an elected County offical for 12 years I understand the decision and support it. We never asked for a refund and did not expect one! The City Council and the people who work for the City of Elizabeth City have been nothing but completely fair with my Cafe. No matter how this turns out from the City Council, City Manager, Planning Department , Police Department Inspections from day one it has been a pleasure to work with the elected oficals and employees of Elizabeth City! I appreciate the experience we have had in Elizabeth City over the past three years and if the new system proves to be legal I hope this relationsship continues. I have never broken the law and surely do not plan on starting to do that now!! Our customers have been wonderful and we hope this is cleared up soon, which I feel it will, and we can open once again.
Jim Sutherland owner Triple S Internet Cafe
The City Council
members that voted to keep the money are thieves. Pure and simple. They done nothing to earn or deserve the money so keeping it is the same as stealing. Shame on all of you and especially you, mayor. You are a pack of thieves. Live with it!
sweepstakes
N C Eagle. The NC Supreme did not rule on legality of sweepstakes!! was not the question before the Court, but with reporters like who ever wrote this story, do not know I do not expect you to know. Question before the Court was General Statue 14-306.4. Whether it violated ones freedom of speech!! Guilford County Superior Court said it did, NC court of Apppeals agreeded and the NC Supreme reversed the ruling. THE NC SUPREME COURT DID NOT MAKE ANYTHING ILLEGAL!! This paper needs to get the facts straight and then REPORT FACTS not rumor!!
NO STATE AND COUNTY OR CITY TAXES
Players enjoy Internet sweepstakes games. The N.C. Supreme Court has ruled the games illegal as of Jan. 3.
They have bingo,NC Lottery and they are concerned about the poor people who buy beer and addicted to tobacco that are killing In the USA, about 438,000 people from smoking-related illnesses per year!
This is a big lie from Hell!
The truth is that the County and State are not getting ANY TAXES from Internet sweepstakes games!
Sweepstakes
NC State Supreme Court did not rule that all sweepstakes were illegal. Only thing the Court ruled was the law passed in 2010 did not violated "ones freedom of speech" and was enforceable. Sweepstakes are operating all over NC with the new system that is legal, Wake County, Mecklenburg County, Lee County, and the list goes on. Each individual location must be investigated and if they are not using the system that is legal under GS 14-306.4 then they should close them if they are abiding by the law then they should allow them to open.
YOUR GOVERNMENT AT WORK!
No refunds-no prorated fee; just "they knew what they were getting into". Nice.
Same old same old
Pretty much the same for those that voted this band of pirates into office.....we should have known what we were getting...the shaft. I want to play the race card now please. If these were black owned establishments would the outcome of the vote been different? Hmmm?
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