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Food truck operators lobby for reduced permit fees



Buffalo (WBEN) -- The owners of downtown food trucks are hoping Buffalo Common Council will reduce the fees they have to pay to operate in the city.

A group of such owners have been lobbying city lawmakers before a city ordinance governing food trucks that was adopted in 2011 expires on April 1. They'd like to see the lawmakers agree to reduced permit fees.

Peter Cimino, owner of Lloyd's Taco Trucks, says he's very concerned about the fee structure.

As it currently stands, food truck operators pay $1,000 for approval to operate and an additional $1,000 to renew the permit annually.

Cimino says the fee is much higher than in other cities.

"I mean everything from Washington, D.C. is a hundred bucks; Cleveland, about 260 ... Jacksonville, 300," Cimino says.

In Buffalo, he says it's not the same economic output or population of a Washington, D.C. or a Los Angeles.  And Cimino is wondering why local food truck operators being charged three, four, and fives the amount for a permit.

He's not in support of keeping the initial permit fee at a $1,000.

"I've yet to find someone who can justify that fee based on what we've heard it costs the city, in terms of managing and inspecting ... in the ballpark of $300 to $350 to start," he says.

At the same time, the brick and mortar restaurants that the food trucks compete with -- don't think the permit fees are high enough.


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