HomeMy WebLinkAboutPETITION TO CHANGE ORD 732A petition for a change in ordinance 6.08, giving relief and exemption from the record keeping obliga-
tions therein imposed upon "secondhand storekeepers," and in particular upon used bookstores. Section
6.08.060 imposes the following requirements:
All ... secondhand storekeepers ... shall keep the following written records:
1) An accurate description of all ... personal property purchased, acquired or received. The
description shall include the make, model, model number, serial number and other identifying
marks, numbers or features of such personal property.
2) The name, residence, driver's license number or social security number of the person from
whom any ... personal property is purchased, acquired or received at the storekeeper's place of
business.
3) The date and place of the purchase, acquisition or reception.
In defense of this request, I make the following observations.
1) The requirements of this ordinance are not being imposed upon other secondhand stores in
operation in Rexburg. To leave an item of this nature in the ordinance and to enforce it in an
irratic or on a selective basis leads to abuse, breeding either contempt for or disregard of the law,
a consequence that is surely not your intent. I can bear witness that, having delivered personal
goods numerous times to Desseret Industries, the largest secondhand dealer in the area, I have not
once been asked for my name, let alone any of the more intrusive kinds of identifying information
required by this ordinance.
2) By definition, a used bookstore is in constant need to acquire large numbers of books from a
wide variety of customers and other sources, including thrift stores and yard sales. To require this
type of record keeping on such items, many of which are purchased at a dollar or less, will have
two effects: it drives up the cost of doing business on items already having a very low profit mar-
gin; and it acts as a deterent to customers otherwise willing to pass unwanted books through the
store to other readers. Students without driver's licenses will be very reluctant to give their social
security number. It is my sincere belief that a used book store can not operate under the require-
ments of this ordinance.
I request two changes be made in the ordinance:
1) An exemption be made for used bookstores.
2) That an exemption also be made for consignment stores as well as those to which, such as DI
or the Crisis Center, sale items are donated.
Sincerely
f,
Jay H Huber