After hours of impassioned testimony from mostly immigrant business owners who packed the Prince George’s County Council chambers, the council approved new legislation aimed at levying liquor, gun, tobacco and self-storage businesses — a move opponents called legally questionable.
The legislation sponsored by Council Chair Krystal Oriadha imposes a new $5,000 use and occupancy permit on all county liquor, gun and tobacco stores, as well as self-storage facilities.
Row after row of the council chambers were filled with people, many of them of South Asian descent, who were there against the bill. They’re worried not just about the fee itself, but the fact that it also goes up on an annual basis.
“I am the son of two Indian immigrants who came here with nothing,” said Aalekh Kaswala, of Bowie. “My dad used to sell roses on the median. Then, he was a pizza delivery guy.”
Click here to read the rest of the article written by John Domen over at WTOP
