If Jumpin Jupiter Misses State Taxes Again, Doors Could Close for Good
Maplewood City Council considered making business with repeated revocation hearings pay a price.
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Before the Maplewood City Council meeting Tuesday night two businesses were told, in a license revocation hearing, to shut their doors for not paying Missouri state taxes. They both have the opportunity to settle with the state and reopen.
It was the second revocation hearing in the year for Fix it Right Auto and Las Palmas. The first time, in June, they settled with the state and were able to stay in business.
A third business was referred to in the council meeting as a repeat offender, though its name wasn’t spoken. The only other Maplewood business to have multiple revocation hearings is the nightclub, Jumpin Jupiter, which had hearings in June and November 2012.
“We have the potential, everybody knows, with another business, that they constantly do that,” Mayor James White said. “I would like to see leniency the first time, but the third time within a fiscal year, that we just not renew the license of the business.”
He said he doesn’t think the owners of this business have “the business wherewithal to run a business properly and to be in business in Maplewood. I think everybody knows who I’m talking about, and I can see that happening with this company again within the next month or so.”
City Manager Marty Corcoran began the discussion by saying that a revocation hearing is not inexpensive.
“I would like to have us do something to amend the ordinance and at least make it somewhat punitive,” he said.
Two measures he suggested were having a business pay the cost of the hearing before its license is reinstated, or revoking a license for a period of time, such as 14 days, before they can open their doors again.
Corcoran said he realizes some measures, like forcing a business to reapply for a new license, could effectively put them out of business.
“There’s at least one of the people we’ve dealt with, it would be nice if we put them out of business,” he said. “You can’t say this business is a pain in our butt. We want to enforce the rules this way; this one we want to help.”
Ward 1 Councilman Dave Cerven said giving a business multiple chances isn’t fair to other businesses.
“The idea of us revoking a business license, going through all the rigmarole, a day after we revoke it, it comes back. Then it gets revoked again, then they do something and it comes back again. It’s not fair to every other single business in the city,” he said.
Corcoran said he and the city attorney would draft an ordinance to be considered by city council.
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In This article
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Maplewood City Hall
7601 Manchester Rd, Maplewood, MO -
Las Palmas
7356 Manchester Rd, Maplewood, MO -
The Jumpin' Jupiter
7376 Manchester Rd, Maplewood, MO -
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Burlesque Mom
11:05 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Imagine that Doug, they haven't even DONE anything wrong, in fact they are completely CAUGHT up on their taxes and now you write a negative story with no real basis? My ass you aren't biased. This is a BLATANT attack with no purpose for being "news". Seriously do you sit at home at night crying in your mom's basement about how pathetic your life is while trying to come up with ways to attack a business that has done you no harm?
Burlesque Mom
11:39 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
He didn't mention the Jumpin Jupiter you flat out say he didn't so now you are assuming and reporting it as FACT. THIS IS SLANDER. You are not only flat out bold face lying but you are even converting the facts you do have to affect the Jumpin Jupiter when honestly they have NO reason being MENTIONED in this article.
Bart Karnowsk
1:11 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Jim, I hope you are this angry at the mayor and the city manager. In fact, Marty is very pro business. He must have the same bias against JJ as well. Jeez, Jim lay off the goofballs
Bart Karnowsk
1:16 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
actually, Jim. Doug and I hang out together in his mom's basement and think of ways to spread the fire of hate for the JJ. Excuse me, I'll be back in twenty minutes, we're out of mountain dew.
Lincoln Douglas
1:27 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Mr. Miner, could you please clarify what is meant by "Missouri state taxes"? Are they failing to pay their income taxes, sales tax, or some other form of taxation? And if they have failed to hand over sales tax revenue, isn't that a form of embezzlement that could have legal implications as well? Is it also possible to explain why these businesses have to apparently pay taxes multiple times per year? Most of us pay taxes only once per year, so the process may seem a bit fuzzy to some of us. Thanks for following up with what seems to be an alarming trend in Maplewood that is apparently not unique to one business that will go unnamed in this comment.
Doug Miner
1:53 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Mr. Douglas, It's my understanding that the "Missouri state taxes" referred to are sales taxes the business owes the state as they do business. As City Manager Marty Corcoran said at last night's meeting, that money isn't the businesses to begin with - just collecting it for the state. As far as the frequency of payment goes, apparently a business does need to submit this money more often than once a year. Also, the city attorney said that in the past, the state handled these situations directly, but now it's on the city, which could explain why this has come to our attention this year.
Gary K Lee
1:34 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Slander is a serious accusation, Burlesque Mom. If a person has been keeping up on the news it's very clear what business was referred to. You hide behind a fake name that shows where your bias is. How can your complaint be taken seriously? Not when you won't honestly say who you are.
However, I love the food at Las Palmas. Usually so close to home I don't eat out, but their food is wonderful. I sympathize with the city council, though, when it comes to repeat offenders.
Paul Yourtee
7:46 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Doug, you have written a fair and factual article. It is not slander when you report the facts and it is a FACT that JJ has failed to pay its sales tax on time twice. Retail businesses are required by state law to collect sales tax for the state and then remit that amount on a timely basis. At no time is the sales tax the property or asset of the retail establishment. Failure to do so shows either poor management or disregard for the law or BOTH!
DB
7:29 am on Thursday, January 10, 2013
Seriously. Stop. Just pay your taxes like the rest of the businesses. I think having stricter laws around it would be good for the city. It really isn't fair to be allowed to not pay your taxes multiple times in a year, turn around at the 11th hour and pay them, and be back open the next day. What about the businesses that pay all their taxes on time? What if everyone or every business operated like this? What a joke. For the posters calling slander, you really seem to be invested in some way with JJ. If you care so much, go tell them to pay their damn taxes on time!
Nick from Maplewood
8:28 am on Thursday, January 10, 2013
I think that instead of giving a business the "boot" Maplewood should pass an ordinance that fines the business after their first offense. If the tax revenue is eventually being paid then it doesn't make sense to revoke the license. Making a three strikes you are out type of rule doesn't seem to be the solution but something, obviously, needs to be done.