Decomposed;

Some larger companies I have done business with have requirements that they have established conforming to company procedures, meaning all suppliers of goods and services they hire fill out a W9 for their records, and they enter the information into the computers when they set up your accounts payable file

The first job may be under the amount required to fill out a W9, but if they hire you again during the year, and the fee exceeds the amount, or the next year the fees exceeds the amount, they are automatically in compliance without having to keep track of who has or has not filled out the W9 information.

Well it reared its ugly head here in CA. I've been doing assemblies for a school district for years. This year they required me to get a business license. I explained that my business is not located in your City. They countered that it was the City's regulation. So I looked it up...yep, they require anybody conducting any type of business to have a license, regardless of where it's located. So I told the school district to pound sand. I'm not spending $169 for a business license.

And if this is coming down the pipeline here in CA, I wonder about the school performer who is in 15, 20 or more school districts. I know I couldn't afford another $3 or $4,000 in expenses each year.

Afraid we are all under the gun and will have to get the license. No way really around it. It was all just a matter of time, lumping us in with AC Repairmen, peace officers, teachers etc. Hate to see what the fines will be for performing without it.

Steven, try charging your normal fee, plus the $169.00 for the licensee; the up side is they are paying for it and if they call you in the same year, the licenses is still valid

It's not just the local tax man that we Californians necessarily fear; conducting business without a license is illegal and doing so resulted in my ONLY arrest for ANYTHING.

I was detained by four flak-jacketed, well-armed Los Angeles County sheriffs, who, after questioning me for twenty minutes, issued me a citation and let me go. Several court cases and $185 in fines later, my misdemeanor charge was reduced to an infraction -- for showing up to do a "strolling magic gig" that turned out to be a sting.

As others have noted, the weak economy's forced authorities to become more creative and diligent at squeezing revenue from those who work for a living. If you're gonna play for pay without a license, do as Jay recommended and stay out of the press -- that's how I got nabbed.

"The nail that sticks up is the one that gets hammered down."

Back in the 1970 we had a lot of Pennsylvanians move to California, and we had a saying back then that only the smart ones return. It would seem that California is not a very hospitable place to do kids birthday parties. If I had my hands tied like that I would move. If you do decide to move to Pennsylvania I would highly recommend the western part of the state there is enough relocated Californians magicians in eastern PA already.

Sounds more like "Taxation apart from representation" and a "Government in opposition to liberty"

time to fire a bunch of politicians and put real people in there..

Mike
The bottom line here is the state of California is desperate for new money and magicians are considered a new stream of revenue for their bankrupt state. Stay in Atlanta and we can enjoy the freedom we have become accustomed to, but be prepared for a bunch of Los Angelenos magicians moving east.

I am in California, I think I'll move to Collegeville, Pa. USA

OH wait, never mind I changed my mind, Pennsylvania is just like California, if you work in Philadelphia or Harrisburg and do not have an office in the city, you still have to get a city business licenses, just like California, I may as well stay here.

Go to this link and read the regulations concerning business licenses

http://www.cityapplications.com/business......nia.html

APPLY FOR A Business License
Pennsylvania - PA

"What are the local licensing requirements?

There are no uniform rules regarding local licensing. Whether your business will need additional local licenses, permits, or registrations will depend on the municipality where your business operates. For example, Philadelphia and Harrisburg require that all individuals conducting business in the city, even if they do not keep an office in the city, obtain an annual business privilege license"

If you move to New Jersey you will experience the same freedom from over taxation that we enjoy in Pennsylvania. We already have far too many transplanted pink tofu eaters here.

Al;

Do you consider the contents of what you post and examine it for lucidity before you hit “SUBMITT”, or do you post to get your post count up?