Tax police head to town

This month, representatives from the Board of Equalization—the agency that administers and collects business taxes and fees in California—are conducting door-to-door checks of Chico retailers and service providers for appropriate permits and licenses.

The visits are part of the BOE’s Statewide Compliance and Outreach Program (SCOP), designed to educate businesses on sales- and use-tax reporting responsibilities and increase tax compliance.

Businesses found out of compliance with the BOE are given instructions on how to register and secure necessary licenses.

SCOP began in 2008 and to date teams have visited more than 280,000 businesses. The BOE reports roughly 2 percent of businesses in the state operate without licenses, contributing to a $2 billion gap in sales and use taxes owed and not paid.