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TO: Mayor Thomas J. Weisner
FROM: Alayne M. Weingartz
DATE: June 10, 2014
SUBJECT:
Ordinance Amending Article VI of Chapter 25 of the Aurora Code of Ordinances Entitled "Pawnbrokers and Secondhand Dealers"
PURPOSE:
To create a graduated penalty provision for violations of this Article.
BACKGROUND:
In June of 2011, the Pawnbroker and Secondhand Dealer license ordinances were updated, after exhaustive research by the Police Department, to utilize the LeadsOnLine system of reporting transactions in order to greatly minimize the ability of burglars, etc. to benefit from the sale of stolen goods and to provide our police with another effective tool in fighting these types of crimes. The original Ordinance called for the only penalty to be the revocation of the license to do business in the City of Aurora.
DISCUSSION:
As with all change, certain affected licensed businesses struggled somewhat with the new requirements put into place by the Ordinance amendments in 2011. The City worked with the businesses, in order to be as business-friendly as possible, and not only attempted to assist answering questions about the new system, but also allowed the penalty for the first offenses that were found to be revocation of the required $1,000 bond rather than outright revocation of the businesses' license to do business in Aurora. Violations went into the second round for several businesses, despite all attempts by the City to assist those businesses to be in compliance with the Ordinance requirements. After several meetings with representatives of certain of the licensees and key City staff including the Police Department, it was determined to be desirable that there be a graduated series of penalties leading up to revocation of the license, rather than revocation for the first violation thereof. The attached Ordinance amendment sets forth such a graduated penalty provision.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The impact of this Ordinance amendment will ...
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