City promises to look into enforecement
Municipal administrators agreed to look into the enforcement of occupational licenses after a resident told the City Council Thursday that he thinks thousands of businesses are failing to buy licenses and are operating illegally in Kenner.
Jack Zewe said his own search of city and state records indicates that Kenner could be losing several hundred thousand dollars in potential revenue annually, simply through the failure to collect licensing fees.
On Zewe's list are companies allegedly owned by two former city mayors, a former council member, a longtime government contractor, several current city administrators and a Delaware utility that does millions of dollars worth of business with Kenner and two surrounding cities.
The administration of Mayor Mike Yenni, which saw Zewe's allegations for the first time Thursday night, agreed to scrutinize them.
"I would ask the administration to look,that to see if there is an opportunity to collect money," Councilman Joe Stagni said.
In other matters, the council also asked the administration to execute a short-term amnesty plan for drivers who may be avoiding payment of traffic tickets because they fear being arrested or having to pay charges enlarged by late fees and penalties.
It's a forgiveness program that governments use from time to time to help clear their books and bring in revenue that might otherwise go uncollected for long periods of time. It also avoids the labor-intensive process of serving warrants and arresting offenders.
There was no decision Thursday night on exactly when the program could begin, but City Attorney Keith Conley advised anyone with outstanding tickets not to wait for amnesty because they risk being arrested in the interim.
He also said cities can't offer amnesty on a regular basis because people will depend on it. But if done correctly, Conley said, an amnesty plan can successfully purge the Mayor's Court roll.
"Some people (don't) even know they have an attachment ... and some people are overwhelmed, and think they've dug themselves in a hole," he said.
The amnesty initiative, which Stagni said should begin as soon as possible, will be advertised, and the names of all offenders will be listed on a city website to help get the word out.
The Yenni administration said it would prefer not to offer amnesty until implementation of a new computer system, which is now in process, that will make it easier to go after the full amounts owed -- including all late fees and contempt charges.
But Stagni pushed for a quicker start-up and won a 6-0 vote of the council.
Kenner last offered amnesty in the final months of 2005.
Sheila Grissett can be reached at sgrissett@timespicayune.com or 504.467.1746.