Burnsville considers retooling pawn fees

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From the article, Burnsville city council member and Pawn America employee:

"In a sense, we're being double taxed," Kealey said, referring to the property taxes the businesses already pay. "We're not only paying for police service once, but we're paying for it a second time. What about retailers who have a large amount of thefts? They're not being charged for the extra time law enforcement spends at their business."

Its not double taxation if .5% of the thousands of transactions that Pawn America does are found to be stolen property later. Its a cost of doing business. Its only fair for them to cover the cost of a full time Burnsville investigator, as their business model promotes the need to investigate. I suppose its more fair to tax the citizens of Burnsville more to cover that officer's pay? Businesses like this require more police time, and should pay more for it.

Interesting

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In these challenging economic times it is interesting that the person who is suppose to be supporting the City, Kealey is more interested in his business.

Rixmann is using Kealey to promote and push his own personal agenda. Don't be fooled, Rixmann wants this less used system so not as many stolen items come back when they buy them.

Kealey get your priorities straight. Oh wait a minute personal gain is your priority.

Bviltaxpayer

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It's difficult to believe that Rixmann DOESN'T pass this "cost of doing business" on to his customers...... It just makes good business sense! So let's just say that he does have hidden charges built into the transactions, and the Burnsville City Council drops this charge, it would mean one heck of an increase in his bottom line. The Burnsville Taxpayer looses another police officer plus burden the police department with additional theft investigation responsibilities.... Just what we need after the economic direction that this city council has taken us in.

Jose

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So?

Whiner

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Other retailers aren't ripping you off with outrageous profits either. Get over it Brad!What a thief!

Sven

Jose wrote:

So?

Yup!

Sven

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TDaddy wrote:

Hopefully Burnsville doesn't fall for this scam by Rixmann and his shills. This isn't the first time he's used politicians to carry water for him and change pawn rules to protect his criminal customers (see Dale Hackbarth). Most pawnshops have a huge amount of stolen goods come in the door. Considering the enormous profit they make from outrageous loan interest and the sale of property they pay pennies on the dollar for, fees to regulate them and recover stolen property are a small price to pay.

You should run for Mayor, brother!

Reed1119

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The issue that should be addressed is not just the multiple taxes, itâ€™s the simple fact that there is a better system out there that tracks ONLINE transactions and happens to be cheaper than the current system. Switching to a system that is more efficient, current, and cheaper should not be viewed as money in a pawn brokerâ€™s pocket, but rather helping the pawn broker run an honest business.

Cbennett

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Bviltaxpayer: The burden for the Burnsville economy should not fall on the shoulders of one businessman. Lowering costs for not only the business owner, but also the consumer, for a BETTER tracking system is the most practical decision the Burnsville City Council can make during these difficult economic times. Keeping the tax to avoid the loss of one position is a bad tax, not to mention absurd!

pawncustomer

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We should be talking about what consumers in Burnsville are double paying for, and less about Rixmann. The bottom line is: if this business was bordering bankruptcy because of multiple taxes, and the solution was a better tracking system at a tenth of the cost so the business could still function and pay less, the city should do what it takes to keep businesses in Burnsville……which is good for the economy

Cbennett

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TDaddy wrote:

Hopefully Burnsville doesn't fall for this scam by Rixmann and his shills. This isn't the first time he's used politicians to carry water for him and change pawn rules to protect his criminal customers (see Dale Hackbarth). Most pawnshops have a huge amount of stolen goods come in the door. Considering the enormous profit they make from outrageous loan interest and the sale of property they pay pennies on the dollar for, fees to regulate them and recover stolen property are a small price to pay.

Wouldnt a BETTER tracking system assist in catching MORE stolen goods? If Pawn Brokers were dead set on cashing in on stolen goods, why would they push to become a part of a better system? This logic is above your head, I know, but really if they wanted to make more on stolen goods they'd suck up the costs they're paying now with a system that is less efficient.

YoMammy

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Why is this even an issue? The city shouldn't care how they run the bussiness, they should be happy they chose to locate in their city.

Not as delusional as you

pawncustomer wrote:

We should be talking about what consumers in Burnsville are double paying for, and less about Rixmann. The bottom line is: if this business was bordering bankruptcy because of multiple taxes, and the solution was a better tracking system at a tenth of the cost so the business could still function and pay less, the city should do what it takes to keep businesses in Burnsville……which is good for the economy

Nice posts under 3 different names. Bottom line, the other system costs more, but is proven. The new system is unproven, and will provide no money to the city for employing a full time officer to keep its business model clean. Kealy mentioned other retailers that have more police calls. Those businesses, Target, Cub, Burnsville Center, all provide much more tax revenue in property taxes, more jobs to the local economy, and don't have a half a percent fraudulent/stolen property rate.

Not as delusional as you

Cbennett wrote:

<quoted text>
Wouldnt a BETTER tracking system assist in catching MORE stolen goods? If Pawn Brokers were dead set on cashing in on stolen goods, why would they push to become a part of a better system? This logic is above your head, I know, but really if they wanted to make more on stolen goods they'd suck up the costs they're paying now with a system that is less efficient.

Just because it costs less, doesn't mean its a better system. Who pays for the full time officer to investigate the stolen goods fenced through the store? Oh yeah, the citizens of Burnsville. Its not about a better system, its about a cheaper one that costs the citizens of Burnsville and Dakota County more.

Not as delusional as you

Reed1119 wrote:

The issue that should be addressed is not just the multiple taxes, itâ€™s the simple fact that there is a better system out there that tracks ONLINE transactions and happens to be cheaper than the current system. Switching to a system that is more efficient, current, and cheaper should not be viewed as money in a pawn brokerâ€™s pocket, but rather helping the pawn broker run an honest business.

If its a better system, and a lot cheaper, run both systems and show the cost savings and reduction in fraudulent transactions(ie fenced stolen goods). After it runs for six months side by side, show the reduction in stolen goods and present the cost savings to the city.......oh wait, there won't be any cost savings to the city, only to the Pawn Shop.

cbennett

Not as delusional as you wrote:

<quoted text>Just because it costs less, doesn't mean its a better system. Who pays for the full time officer to investigate the stolen goods fenced through the store? Oh yeah, the citizens of Burnsville. Its not about a better system, its about a cheaper one that costs the citizens of Burnsville and Dakota County more.

How does it cost the citizens of Burnsville more?

ZIN

Why is it whenever we talk about a Pawn store it's a "scam" or "rip-off" or that they're thieves?
Has anyone walked into a bank lately? How about those NSF fees? Anyone miss a credit card payment and have their APR shoot up to 37%? Who are the real thieves?
There is just too much ignorance surrounding the business of pawning. Like it or not, there is a large percentage of the population that rely on Pawning to get by. Pawning gives the "unbankable" an opportunity to survive financially by making reasonable loans using collateral.
As a Pawn America customer I appreciate that their stores are large, clean, sell no guns or adult material and are located in the suburbs. It's time we stop treating this business as a pariah.
Thousands and thousands of Pawn America's customers know better.

Editorial Aspiration

Chaska, MN

Boy, there appears to be a lot of "experts" chiming in here ... agendas galore.

My beef is the fact that when I pawned my dusty wedding ring (that hottie taught me a lesson!) I was REQUIRED to give the pawn shop counter boy more personal information than I'd give traditional institutions like the hospital or the tax man ... My frickin' race?!?! Whatever. This "tracking" system is bogus and breeds profiling by the Man. Never will I be subjected to that kind of humulity again ... simply to sell a ring. Too much power in the hands of the APS data whores.

Sideshow Bob