Local contractor says city delayed business license, was later billed for taxes; finance director pledges review and apology

Hollis Williams, founder of Elevation Demo, told the Allentown City Council during the meeting's public-comment period that his business-license application submitted in late August 2024 was not approved until the following year and that the city then billed him interest on business-privilege tax while he had no authorization to operate.

Williams said the delay prevented him from operating legally and that charging interest for a period when he lacked a license was financially damaging and ethically unfair. “You cannot delay a license, hold someone back from earning a living, and then penalize them for not earning it,” he said.

A city finance official told council staff had identified a software glitch that left a small group of business-privilege license applications “stuck” in the system. The official said staff applied the fee Williams had paid in 2024 to a 2025 license once they discovered the error and that some auto-generated tax notices went out because required forms were not completed in the system.

The finance office said it will meet with Williams, review his tax-return records to confirm whether he conducted business in the city during the disputed period, remove any improper fees identified, and — at Williams’s request — issue a written apology. “We will issue him, as he wants in writing, a huge apology for the fact that he was stuck in the system,” the finance official said.

Council members did not take formal action on the matter during the meeting but the finance director said staff were investigating and working to resolve impacted accounts. Williams said his business focuses on mentorship and community work and that he brought the issue to council because the charges hurt small entrepreneurs.

City staff told council the glitch affected multiple applications and that where a permit had been pulled and other system flags indicated work had occurred, staff would need to verify tax returns before clearing bills. The finance official said staff provided a status report to council right before the meeting.

Council members thanked Williams for bringing the matter to their attention and the finance official said staff would follow up with him directly to resolve outstanding charges.