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Show Page 18b The Utah Enterprise Review, March 9 , 1977 Vendors Say Fee Boost Prices Will Vending machine operators and distributors may face a change in the way they pay license fees, depending on the results of a public hearing scheduled before city commissioners March 16. The subject of the hearing is a petition filed by members of the Kiwanis Gub who want to change the fee schedule from the present flat rate to a percentage based on gross sales. Most vending machine owners and distributors who know about the proposed change are fearful it would ultimately mean increased prices for consumers, and a few add the city is dis- criminating against the vendor. According to John Wheat of the city business license department, the machine owner now pays $1.00 per machine. But Dale Duffin of Kwik Vending Service says he pays between $2.50 and $6.00 per machine, depending on the product it dispenses. The Kiwanis want the change from a flat rate to a percentage of sales. But, Wheat says, that tax system may be unconstitutional. We are talking about a regulatory tax," he explains, and the charge is meant to cover the cost of inspection. The sales from each machine are really not related to the cost of inspecting that machine," he continues, so we really don't think thats quite fair. He adds, however, the department is working on alternative suggestions which he expects to unveil during the hearing. The city doesnt know what the vendor does," says Dale Duffin. They consider a vending machine in the same category as a pinball machine or a juke box. And its not the same at all. We distributors work notoriously long hours and operate with a low profit. Were a service Machines are company. extremely expensive and we pay use taxes, sales tax, county property tax." He added he doesnt think the vending machine license is a bad idea," but it should be charged per company, not per machine. Elden Kingston of Best Distributing Co. agrees. "Regulating companies rather than machines would keep out the guys," he explains, because they would be charged a certain high fee, no matter how few machines they operate." Now, he adds, a few companies operate machines that are never licensed with the city. fly-by-nig- ht Option Market News by Warren Ketcham, Ph.D. Prince, Langheinrich & Greer M. The stock market tacked on its best gain of the year as the Dow Industrials spurted 20 points to close at 953.46. Trading volume continues to be on the light side, making one wonder about the longevity of the current rally. Inflation fears continue to make gold issues the best performing group. Further gains are likely as Mondays gold price hit a new recovery high of $148.30 per ounce. ASA 8 4 and Homestake hit in early Monday and trading. Late last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (finally) approved the trading of puts on the options exchanges. Trading will begin in five underlying stocks on 23-5- June 43-3- 1. Puts are the opposite of calls in that they allow the buyer to sell shares of the underlying security at a certain price for a certain period of time. Puts offer buyers the chance to reap huge profits in a declining market with limited risks. To being with, the terminology may confuse investors. For instance, an in the money strick on a call will be an out of the money strike on a put, etc. AIR CARGO to SAN FRANCISCO and LOS ANGELES Sunday thru Friday Next morning delivery in-bou- nd and out-boun- d! Adeiphic CargoExecutive Enterprises Salt Lake International Terminal Airport, (801) 533-081- 8 |