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Pakistan Weekly

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The Life of Jinnah

Sacramento City Ordinance: A Nuisance For Indo-Pakistani Community

By Talat Sattar

Indus valley American chamber of commerce held a Town hall meeting with Max Fernandez, Director of Code Enforcement Division of the City of Sacramento and Bob Rose, Chief of Law enforcement Division, City of Sacramento on Monday, November 14, 2005 to discuss the new City ordinance regarding tobacco sale in the city limits. Due to this ordinance, 22 stores of tobacco sale have been shut for 30 days. Stores, which are selling only cigarettes, are totally closed for 30 days. This action is taken without warning and they are closing the stores on the first strike. This enforcement is more sever than the state law.

Enforcement of this law resulted great business losses and miseries for small businesses in Sacramento valley. If the trend continues, then within 6 months 25% of the stores will be closed. Anwar Rashid store was closed for 30 days for selling a single cigarette from a pack without his knowledge of the violation of law. On the same token Mr. Mohammad Zaman store was closed for his employee violation of the code of his knowledge. In spite of training, one of Mr. Amrik Singh employee made a mistake and the owner had to suffer with 30 days ban on cigarettes sale in the store.

Indus Valley American Chamber of Commerce presented the following petition to Modify SCC 5.138.110 A

“ We, the undersigned petitioners, either residents or business owners located in the city of Sacramento, respectfully request that the Sacramento City Council adopt the following Resolution:

Resolved, that SSC5.138.110 A is hereby amended as follows:

In addition to other remedy authorized by law, a licensee shall be fined, suspended or revoked as provided in this Section, if the City Manager finds that the licensee or his or her agents or employees has or have violated any of the provisions of this Chapter; provided however, violations by a licensee at one location may not be accumulated against other locations of that same licensee, nor may violations accumulated against a prior licensee at a licensed location be accumulated against a new licensee at the same location. 

1.  Upon a finding by the City Manager of a fist license violation within any five-year (5) period, the licensee shall be fined the amount of $500.

2. Upon a finding by the City Manager of a second license violation within any five-year (5) period; the license shall be suspended for thirty (30) days.

3.  Upon a finding by the City Manager of a third license violation within any five-year (5) period; the license shall be suspended for ninety (90) days.

4. Upon a finding by the City Manager of a fourth license violation within any five-year (5) period; the license shall be suspended for one (1) year.

5. Upon a finding by the City Manager of a fifth license violation within any five-year (5) period; the license shall be revoked.”

6.  Law enforcement director promised to look into the ordinance and agree to recommend to the city council members changes marked in the petition submitted by IVACC.

.At the end Ms. Punam Malhotra President of Indus Valley American Chamber of Commerce, thanked the Director of Code Enforcement for listening to their concerns and the participants for voicing their concern regarding this new law.