Food truck owner questions Beech Grove fee
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — At first glance, the $99 permit fee to operate a food truck on public property in Beech Grove doesn’t seem like a hefty price to pay.
But, the owner of Books Bourbon & Bacon says it’s one of many fees that food truck owners have to pay to thrive across Indiana.
“Every municipality within every county starts tacking on these fees, then it’s going to double, triple, quadruple, and we’re just not going to be able to go to those communities,” said AJ Feeney-Ruiz, owner of the Books Bourbon & Bacon food truck, also known as the BBB Bread Truck.
I-Team 8 found these permit fees for food trucks on different government websites:
- Marion County: $173.
- Hendricks County: $100.
- Hamilton County: $100.
- Noblesville: $1,000 (on top of Hamilton County fee).
- Fishers: $200 (on top of Hamilton County fee).
- Beech Grove: $99 (on top of Marion County fee).
“Fuel costs … maintenance costs … fire inspections … food inspections. We’re paying fees on top of fees all the time,” Feeney-Ruiz said.
Beech Grove Mayor Dennis Buckley says the permit fee in his city only applies if you’re on public property. He says he wants small businesses to succeed and notes an increase in food trucks in Beech Grove, but he says rules are in place to protect customers.
“Over 99% of the trucks that are licensed have no issue at all. It’s the 1% that we have to worry about,” the Democrat mayor said. “A councilman and I had a call yesterday to talk about waiving the fee and I don’t oppose that. It’s not going to make us or break us. But, I’m more interested in providing the public with safe food trucks.”
As a single dad, Feeney-Ruiz says he would like local governments overall to allow more accessibility for small businesses.
You can find other food truck businesses to support on the Facebook page of Friends of Fred.