Street Vendors boon or bane

A new controversy seems to brewing as recent studies show that street vendors cost the city more than the revenue they generate in terms of fines and violations.
http://www.dnainfo.com/20101109/manhattan/city-losing-money-miring-street-vendors-regulation-ibo-reports#ixzz14p1RjXe4

Some critics of street vendors say that they don't pay income or sales tax and hence are a nuisance to the city. I for one do patronize my local street vendors and would be sad to see them go. As for collection of taxes, aren't street vendor all licensed? then it would be quite simple to track them down for the purpose of tax collection right?

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5 Comments

Uraniumfish 2yrs+

Seems like a lot of street vendors are working a second job, and wouldn't want to take their income away from them if they are people barely making a living as it is.

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uptowngirl 2yrs+

@Uraniumfish good point! I also think they add a certain vibrancy to the city. I so enjoy buying fruit from my street fruit vendor he always has good fresh stuff at prices which are way less than D'AGNY.

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hhusted 2yrs+

@Everybody: Street vendors are not only licensed, but they often have to pay a rental fee to park their carts at the location where they are stationed. Bloomberg tries to milk them for all he can get away with. A street vendor told me this recently. How sad that they have to be charged so much.