Harvey resident Melville King addresses protesters outside the city municipal building before Monday’s City Council meeting. Tension in Harvey was heightened Monday as close to 50 business owners and residents marched to the city municipal building to protest fines, fees and the holding back of licenses.
Harvey business owner Benecia Gonzalez, one of the organizers, said the chants were in response to settlement agreements offered to businesses with delinquent property taxes. Businesses with overdue taxes who choose to operate without a license are being presented with a settlement agreement allowing them to sidestep fines of up to $2,500 per day and continue to run their business while they determine how to settle the property tax debt.
“We tried to find a way that, in lieu of prosecution, we would be able to allow them to stay open, but they would have to pay some type of fine as a result, and that way we didn’t have to continually charge them $2,500 a day,” Clark said.Protesters wait to enter the Harvey municipal building before Monday’s City Council meeting.
“All we want to do is provide for our families,” Gonzalez told the City Council. “We feel like we have nothing to lose anymore.” Clark said he made efforts to inform business owners and residents about the settlement agreement option before licenses were due for renewal.