Cut, Slash, or Eliminate? Surprise to Reconsider Its Business License Mandate

Surprise City Council will weigh cutting its $168 business license fee Tuesday — Vice Mayor Jack Hastings says it’s about competition and investment.

Another Arizona city is taking a hard look at the price of doing business. On September 2, 2025, the Surprise City Council will decide whether its $168 general business license fee—one of the highest in the West Valley—is a matter of public safety or just another tax on entrepreneurs. Critics point to neighboring cities like Goodyear ($75) and Peoria ($…