Dear Fairfax Business Owners:
At their February 2, 2011 meeting the Town Council heard from many businesses in Fairfax. Merchants testified that outsourcing the business license program to a private company (Muni Services) and sending their business license fee to a processing center in Alabama was not acceptable to them. Many businesses expressed concern about not keeping the money local to directly benefit the Town. Business owners objected to divulging their social security number to Muni Services. Due to the concerns of many of our businesses, Town staff has directed Muni Services to make the following changes, effective February 4, 2011:
• Businesses may pay their businesses license fee directly to the Town, in person at Town Hall or through the mail to the Town Hall address: 142 Bolinas Road, Fairfax, CA 94930.
• Businesses do not have to divulge their social security number or employer identification number.
• A delinquent penalty will not be assessed until after March 15, 2011 instead of February 16, 2011 as stated on the business license that was mailed by Muni Services.
The contract with Muni Services states the following regarding the privacy rights of information Muni Services receives from our business owners: “Consultant shall not disclose to any third party any data it receives in conjunction with its performance of the work hereunder except in accordance of the order of a court. Consultant agrees that all documents produced in the performance of this agreement shall be the property of the Town and Consultant shall not transfer any interest in the same (whether by assignment or novation) without the prior written consent of the Town.”
The Town Council will be discussing this issue on March 2, 2011 at their regular meeting and
will discuss whether to continue having this service provided by Muni Services.
If you have any questions about these changes or have any other questions about the business license program please feel free to call the Town at
453-1584.
Sincerely,
Michael Rock
Town Manager
Thursday, February 03, 2011
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