After petitioning to local authorities to have his 13-year-old neighbor’s lemonade stand shut down due to several questionable business violations, it seems like karma is striking back.
Doug Wilkey, 61, argued that the lemonade stand was illegally set up and causes health concerns, excessive noise, and trash in the community, however local authorities refused his request to have the stand shut down. He also says the stand reduces his property value.
13-year-old T.J. Guerrero serves customers year round in order to make some pocket change; as well as mows lawn in the community.
When the Tampa Bay Times aired the story last week, it went viral, with many outraged members of the community coming to the boys defense. One tipster even blew the whistle to local authorities on Wilkey’s unlicensed home business, Bayport Financial Services.
Turns out, he was running a business that violated local laws, and had been avoiding an annual $45 business-tax by not properly registering his business. He now faces up to $250 in fines per day until he gets his business properly licensed.
