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City votes to raise business fee
STORY TOOLS 
More from Local NewsThe Moorpark City Council approved Wednesday increasing the annual registration fee for both new and existing businesses in the city.
New businesses in the city now will have to pay $90, while existing businesses will pay $40 under the new registration fee structure.
The current $30 fee for both new and existing businesses has not been updated since 1989. The new fee takes effect Jan. 1.
Initially, the city staff proposed both new and existing businesses pay the same $65 registration fee to cover the costs associated with processing registrations. Several council members said that would be unfair to existing businesses, which require less city staff time to process renewing licenses.
Deputy City Manager Barry Hogan said staff analysis shows the cost of operating the city's business registration program substantially exceeds revenue collected from the annual fee.
About 3,000 businesses are registered in the city, and an average of 500 businesses are added annually. Moorpark does not have a business license and tax program like many other cities in Ventura County.
In a letter to the council, Patrick Ellis, Moorpark Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, said while the chamber's board opposes any increase, it was more in favor of charging new businesses a higher fee than existing businesses.
Hogan said city staff will review the business registration fee structure annually.
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