After months of discussing whether new rules for licensing outdoor vendors are needed, the city of Socorro is reminding sellers about the old rules already in effect.

“As you know, a lot of people have been squawking about people not getting business registrations,” said Mayor Ravi Bhasker at the Oct. 3 city council meeting. “It’s to the point where (Zoning Officer) Mike Czosnek went out to the market with two police officers to give all the ones there a warning that they need to get their business registrations.”

No one was cited, Bhasker said. However, several flea market vendors did come in to city hall to fill out business registration forms as a result of Czosnek’s reminders, including Nelly’s Nursery, Pirate Pinkie’s Loot and DUB Enterprises.

Councilor Gordy Hicks said he’d been getting a little flack from people about his stance on getting vendors to pay registration fee and gross receipts tax, but he believes it helps create a level playing field. The $25 per year business registration fee breaks down to pennies per day, he said.

“That’s not going to break anybody,” Hicks said. “I believe it’s fair.”

Czosnek’s friendly reminder does appear to have scared some people off.

“Someone was telling me the (number of) vendors were down at the flea market this week,” said Councilor Peter Romero.

Bhasker responded that people who have a problem with state statutes probably shouldn’t be in business.

“What’s fair is fair,” Bhasker said. He added, “And the person renting that space should be responsible for the vendors.”

Market vendors aren’t the only ones getting the warnings.

“(Finance Director) Mable Gonzales and (Chamber of Commerce Director) Terry Tadano have been working different areas of the Yellow Pages, and driving through town notifying contractors by mail and in person that they need to get their registration,” Bhasker said.

Gonzales added that the intent is not just to get business registrations.

“We’re also informing people that gross receipts taxes are really important to the running of the city,” she said.

The results of the city’s new proactive stance were evident in the list of new business registrations for September. In addition to the three flea market vendors, registration applications were also filled out by 12 out-of-town firms doing work within the city limits, including a plumbing company, several builders and contractors, a mobile lunch truck, a title insurance company and a landscaper.

The mayor indicated he was willing to take a more proactive approach to dealing with yard sale signs, too, after Hicks complained about people leaving them up long after the sales are over.

“We need the signs to say where they’re at, but if you put them up, please take them down,” Hicks said. “They’re a necessary tool to get us there, but they make our town look tacky.”

Romero said according to the state transportation department, if you put something on the median on California Street, you have to have a permit.

“I believe they’re going to start enforcing that now,” Romero said.

“Good,” said Bhasker. “If they do it, we don’t have to.”

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