I was searching for a coin show to go to this weekend (or next) and ran across this article. It is unfortunate that the city feels this way about a coin show. What exactly are the issues? I guess the city is trying to protect its citizens?
The promoter apparently never heard the adage: It is easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.
Grrr!! I have been looking forward to that event, it's right in my town! News to me, thanks for the link. Its been a few years since Portland had a real show, ever since the Gorham Coin Club stopped putting them on.
Don't know about the specific background of this case, but apparently EBW's primary reason for canceling that show was this "Second Hand Dealer's License" issue. Now from what I have read, quite a few places have similar requirements these days: http://www.cointalk.com/t222272/ http://www.cointalk.com/t227032/ Christian
In addition to wanting to go to a show - what you are quoting here is also what I am curious about. That's why I was wondering if the "city is trying to protect its citizens". I'm still trying to form an opinion about some watchdog overseeing buying and selling of silver and gold. So many people are being ripped off. Even those who should "know better" are being ripped off. When I think of Maine and living in Maine - I think of the many freedoms the citizens demand. I don't think the population of Maine will put up with too much gov't intervention into their lives. Having independence is why many live in Maine. All of this warrants discussion so that appropriate, educated decisions are made. And then maybe I'm just reading too much into this...
Maine is truly a great state, however, I recently had the misfortune of sitting in a Gorham (Maine) Town Council for a few hours, along with Westbrook (Maine) City Council. After witnessing first hand the minutia they spend hours / days / months talking about, voting on, moving back and forth between committees, and they way the control every aspect of life for a resident or business, you just want to give up, move to extreme Northern Maine, plant a vast vegetable garden, and start building a bunker. Southern Maine is absolutely not a "free" place to live. Gorham seizes private property and then does nothing with it for more than a decade, and with no explanation or compensation for the property owners. They use tax payer dollars to sue and intimidate their own residents. If a few people in City Council don't want to you start a business, it ain't happening. There are fees for literally everything you want to do, and you better not do it without official sanction from the city. Lemonade stands, garage sales, bon fires, pets, coin shows, you name it. I could go on.... Basically, the concept of starting a business and seeing it survive or fail on it's own merits does not exist here. I'm getting depressed just writing this. Maybe Maine is still better than a lot of other places in the USA, I don't really have experience outside of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. (all great states, by the way). There are many more free countries and more pro-capitalist countries in the world than America in 2013, many people may not realize that. A simple vote on a town council can put you out of business or on the street. I hope that the promotion company can get it all approved so it can happen in 2014, I was looking forward to this event.
