I Got Busted!

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Earlier last week I was working on a road sign for one of the stores that I service. I was in the process of replacing the ballast and bulbs when I heard "HEY UP THERE, WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?" I turned around and looked down and it was the township inspector. I told him that I worked for the owners of the store and not a contractor.

He then went on to tell me that I was not licenesed to work on the road sign and had to stop right there. He pulled out his clip board and wrote down a bunch of stuff and handed me a citatiion. WTF? I told him that I had been taking care of the stores signs and lights for the past 3 years. He said it didn't matter and that I had to be licensed in the Madison Township. He then told me it was to prevent out of town companies from coming in and taking away local work. I told him that I'm not from out of town and that I'm not a contractor. Guess it didn't matter because I still got a violation. I asked him about the parking lot lights, he said that it was okay for me to take care of them. Again WTF? The road sign is not near as high and as close to the road as the lot lights are. I think this is just a ploy for the township to make money. The license is $75 a year.

I told my boss and he was PO'd. He called the township explaining that I work for them. Still didn't matter, I still have to pay the $1,000 fine.:devil: My boss did say they would pay it for me. What stinks is that the township has notified all the other codes/permit departments where our other stores are. So now I won't be able to do the road signs for the stores unless I get licenesed in each city/township. That would be 6 different licenses that I would have to aquire. Crazy to say the least, just another way for them to get money. Geesh, I may work on a sign once a year or two,,,,,,not worth getting the license for.

I can understand the license if it was of installing or removing a sign, but not the upkeep of it.

BTW 5 weeks smoke free!

 

[rolmops]

Re: I Got Busted!

Federal taxes were lowered. Now all these little towns get less federal and state money.They still have to maintain a minimal service level.So instead of paying taxes,they charge for permits and usage charges.
But the politicians can rightfully claim that they have lowered taxes......

 

[Firestar]

Re: I Got Busted!

It sux.:| I'll bet that there are people who's job consists of nothing more than finding ways for municipalities to collect more revenue.:%

 

[18rabbit]

Re: I Got Busted!

If you are a local business your boss should have known, either advised thru the township’s business office or thru a notice from the state tax board, etc. It’s not your problem; it’s your boss’s problem and it’s a problem of his lack of understanding appropriate business practices in your area.

Your boss can (and for $1000 should) attend the next township meeting and ask the elected powers that be there to waive the $1000 fine. They probably will. In fact, if it is as you say it is, a license to regulate out of town businesses, I’d almost be willing to guarantee they will waive the$1000 fine since your business is in town.

 

[Twidget]

Re: I Got Busted!

Here, you could have said 'No Habla' and he would have left you alone.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: I Got Busted!

Federal taxes were lowered. Now all these little towns get less federal and state money.They still have to maintain a minimal service level.So instead of paying taxes,they charge for permits and usage charges.
But the politicians can rightfully claim that they have lowered taxes......

Rolmops –

(1) what fed tax(es) is lowered?

(2) how much less are towns getting from those lowering of those fed tax(es)?

(3) what town’s minimal service depends/depended on those now lowered funds?

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: I Got Busted!

SS who owns the sign?? It seems to me if the company you work for owns the sign and the property it's on that's a bullsheet deal. Or, am I missing some thing here.

BTW congrats on the 5 weeks.

 

[Ron G]

Re: I Got Busted!

soumds to me a sign contractor or another contractor turned you in.i know of a few cases around here were contractors turned somebody in without a license.all in all i think its bs.and your right there after the money.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: I Got Busted!

Rabbit, my boss along with his mother and brother own 9 McD's. They generate a substantial amount of tax base for the townships and town that they are in. He is defenitly pulling some chains on this one. I should know more come monday evening. Codes and permits is a pain, however they can be essential in keeping things safe for everyone.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: I Got Busted!

LT, it is the stores sign and on their property.

Ron, you could be right, A friend of mine does some sign work for our business. He takes care of the out of reach signs for us. My truck is limited in the height I can get. He gets lots of work and has told me that he appreciates me taking care of the small jobs for him. He says that doing just a couple of light bulb changes is not worth his time coming out and that he prefers doing the higher tougher jobs that bring in bigger bucks.

Come to think a bit, a couple of weeks ago, a guy stopped by the house and gave my wife his busniness card. He was interested in buying my Bucket truck. Maybe possible that it could have been him.

 

[xtraham]

Re: I Got Busted!

I thought if you were imployeed by (a company) you could make any and all repairs nessary licenese or no licenese, so how many licenese would a maintenance worker need that is employeed by ......lets say a major manufactoring company, HVAC/Electrical/Plumbing and the list goes on, something's wrong with that picture

 

[Boomyal]

Re: I Got Busted!

Federal taxes were lowered. Now all these little towns get less federal and state money.They still have to maintain a minimal service level.So instead of paying taxes,they charge for permits and usage charges.
But the politicians can rightfully claim that they have lowered taxes......

That's the way it is supposed to work rolmops. What? ya fall asleep during your US government class? Well we know you must have for this and other of your opinions.

It is not up to the Federal Government to support the States and townships. No where is it written in the Constitution that this is one of the powers and responsibility given. This was only a later liberal way to deconstruct the Federal Republic.

Sorry about the citiation Mayfloat. It is a raw deal when an employee has to have the same permit as a contractor. It's enough to make you wanna start smokin'! Oops, I didn't say that.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: I Got Busted!

It was mentioned by another worker at the store that I should have dropped the ballast on his head. Maybe then he could have gotten into trouble for not wearing a hard hat in the drop zone of the bucket.

I just hope that since I live in the same township and the idiot knows where I live that he doesn't cause problems at my home. Like most of the neighbors in my area, we have our junk. Just hope he doesn't retaliate over this situation and make me get rid of my stuff.

Thought about a smoke a couple of times, but I like the taste of food a lot more now8) Although 15 pounds in 5 weeks is not too good. Heaviest I've ever been. Bummer, just more weight my boat is going to have to carry.

 

[Kwas]

Re: I Got Busted!

Don't wish to rain on your parade but in any city, county or state that has ordinances for electrical, plumbing, building, etc, it requires EVERYONE to get a permit. Homeowners are generally given (sold) a permit by taking a simple test to do work in their own home.

 

[rolmops]

Re: I Got Busted!

Federal taxes were lowered. Now all these little towns get less federal and state money.They still have to maintain a minimal service level.So instead of paying taxes,they charge for permits and usage charges.
But the politicians can rightfully claim that they have lowered taxes......

That's the way it is supposed to work rolmops. What? ya fall asleep during your US government class? Well we know you must have for this and other of your opinions.

It is not up to the Federal Government to support the States and townships. No where is it written in the Constitution that this is one of the powers and responsibility given. This was only a later liberal way to deconstruct the Federal Republic.

Sorry about the citiation Mayfloat. It is a raw deal when an employee has to have the same permit as a contractor. It's enough to make you wanna start smokin'! Oops, I didn't say that.

Whether or not it is written in the constitution is irrelevant.Nowadays almost every town and city is receiving state and federal funds.
The federal tax reductions of the past few years have taken a bite out of those available funds and now the towns have to make up the difference one way or another.Raising property taxes is unpopular and local politicians try not to do it.The other way to raise money is by charging people for permits and by having the cops write many ,many traffic tickets,preferably to out of towners.Nothing new there.
And Boom,I cannot blame the towns for doing what they do,they are just rolling with the punches.So for once in your life,try to not turn it into a conflict,but see it as the observation that it is.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: I Got Busted!

You should put up a sign in protest. d

 

[Boomyal]

Re: I Got Busted!

Don't wish to rain on your parade but in any city, county or state that has ordinances for electrical, plumbing, building, etc, it requires EVERYONE to get a permit. Homeowners are generally given (sold) a permit by taking a simple test to do work in their own home.

kwas, this was not an issue of taking out a permit. Heavan forbid if they could require you to take out a permit to change ballasts and light bulbs anywhere.


This was an issue of requiring the maintanance employee of a company to have a licence to simply change ballasts and lightbulbs in one kind of device but not another.

I think if Mayfloats employer has any horsepower in town he can get the thing blown out of the water. It is a pure blatant revenue raiser that was done in the false name of public building safety.

 

[QC]

Re: I Got Busted!

I think rolmops' point is valid. The deconstruction of the Federal Republic had already occurred, so those $ have to come from somewhere. Of course we could (should) reconstruct the Federal Republic, but it may hurt some . . .

 

[tommays]

Re: I Got Busted!

They BETTER get all those DIY books OFF the market there encouraging serious crime across america :^


Tommays

 

[Kwas]

Re: I Got Busted!

Boomyal, My point is that everyone needs a permit. Permits are required so they know when work is being done so it can be inspected to see if the work conforms to local, state, and national codes. I used the homeowner example to show how a homeowner would get a permit. If you are not a homeowner you would be considered a contractor and have to be licensed to get a permit. It's all about making sure that the work is done right.