Jeannette implements annual $50 business registration fee

Business owners in Jeannette will have to fork over $50 annually under a new registration fee that goes into effect next year.

Chief Fiscal Officer Ethan Keedy said the registration will help city officials keep tabs on what businesses should be subject to the business privilege/mercantile tax.

“All this helps keep the general taxes down,” he said.

Keedy estimated there are 200 businesses in the city, but outside contractors who do work in Jeannette would be subject to the fee, too. He said other municipalities around the area have enacted the fee and registration.

Southwest Greensburg and Connellsville each have similar registrations. Their fees are $20 and $30 respectively. North Huntingdon’s fee is $10.

Council approved a resolution establishing the fee at its August meeting.

“We’re trying to make it so everybody’s playing fair,” said City Clerk Nathan Bish. “My goal is to make sure everybody’s doing what they need to do.

“We have to make sure that everyone who is doing business in the city is doing it properly,” he said.

Businesses will get invoices in January and have until March to pay the fee.

Carole Babish, president of the Jeannette Business Association, said she hopes to send out information about the fee to all members to notify them.