05/29/2026
Business license tax overhaul, water supply to be discussed on Tuesday June 2
At Tuesday’s Council meeting, there will be discussions about whether and how to overhaul and update the City’s business tax. This was last updated in 2004, and has several portions that have generated discussion in the community and at Council.
As currently written and enforced, anyone performing any service for pay in the city, regardless of how small or minimal the payment, is expected to have a business license. This includes people, including teens, doing chores like dog walking or baby sitting, musicians who come to play at a local venue, and artists who often do not generate significant income of any scale.It also includes owners of small rental income properties.
On the upper end, there is a cap on how much a business can be charged for the license, no matter the size of the business or revenue generated. Valero ended up paying the same business license fee as a retail business on First Street. . One option under consideration is to raise or eliminate the upper limit on gross receipts,
Finally, while the possibility exists that the State will contract with Valero to operate a Marine Terminal for refined gas using some of their larger storage tanks, there will be consideration of whether a tax on the volume of gas moving through marine Terminal should be implemented.
Another important business item is a public hearing on the City’s Urban Water Management Plan, required 5o be completed every five years and looks at the City’s water supply over normal, dry and driest conditions. The report states we currently have sufficient supply for all those conditions.
Interested people are encouraged to attend and give public comment, either in person or on zoom . Meeting will be televised on BeniciaTV.
