Businesses in Junction City would be asked to pay a licensing fee under a proposal from Junction City Manager Gerald Smith.

With the City struggling with debt and major street infrastructure needs Smith said the property taxpayers have been asked to share a massive burden, and there is little more to be realized from sales tax revenues.

As a result Smith said the business licenses would be based on a series of criteria, depending on the type of business. “Retail, commercial, and industrial business licenses will be based on total square footage. Restaurants, sports bars, and bars and taverns will be licensed based on occupancy loads. Hotels and motels business licenses will be based on room count.”  Smith added automobile dealerships would be licenses on building square footage and lot square footage, home based businesses on a flat fee, adult entertainment busineses on occupancy loads, adult entertainers annually, and adult novelty stores on a flat fee.

Smith is also recommending the city establish a franchise fee for waste haulers who provide service in Junction City.

These are proposals to be submitted to City Commission in the future. Other proposals from the City Manager range from a adopting a multi-family preservation program for rental housing to annexation of all parcels of land that meet the statutory qualifications to be annexed.

Smith outlined his proposals in a video shown during his State of the City address Tuesday night at the C. L. Hoover Opera House.