Taxing Idea

     It never ceases to amaze me when a new tax or license is born to take care of expenses obligated to be paid by us and designed by politicians.  Instead of cutting budgets, soon we will be taxed for breathing.  When did policing Gold dealers become the priority over policing illegal immigrants?

LEOMINSTER -- Applications for new secondhand dealers licenses will be mailed to existing businesses May 1, and officials who drafted new legislation to regulate gold buyers hope their efforts won't be thwarted by those who fail to obtain the proper credential.
An amendment to the city ordinance that will allow police to monitor more closely items purchased by jewelry shops in the city was unanimously approved Monday. The goal is to reduce the high rate of jewelry theft, which has increased as gold prices have skyrocketed.
All secondhand dealers who purchase and sell used items are required by the city to hold a license, which costs $100 a year.
But as the Legal Affairs Committee, a subcommittee of the City Council, worked with police Detective Scott Wolferseder to amend the ordinance, they learned there are some instances where people were buying and selling gold without the licenses.
Ward 1 Councilor David Rowlands, chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee, said he hopes discussion about the new legislation has raised awareness about the need for second-hand dealers to be on the books, and that it will lead to more enforcement.
"I'm hoping all departments, the building department, the assessor's department ... are aware that if somebody's operating a business without a license, that it needs to be enforced," Rowlands said.
Under the new law, police will check sales logs regularly and contact licensed gold buyers if a piece of jewelry

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is reported stolen, to see if they've purchased it. The law requires buyers to hold purchased items for three weeks before selling them as scrap, so stolen items can be returned to rightful owners.