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Call The Cops! Did Van Jones‘ Son Open an ’Illegal’ Lemonade Stand?

Van Jones Son Sets up Lemonade Stand

 

It has recently come to our attention that we here at the Blaze may have vastly underestimated a former member of Barrack Obama’s cabinet.  It all started Sunday, when the blog SooperMexican noticed a congratulatory tweet coming from the former Obama Green Energy Czar’s account. Seems that Van Jones was a “proud papa” boasting about the success of his son’s Lemonade stand:

Van Jones Son Sets up Lemonade Stand

We here at the Blaze have consistently been in support of the lemonade stands and it’s correlation to the budding entrepreneurial spirit in this country.  We applaud Young Jones for his hard work and charity and hope that the principles of the free market will provide a foundation for future success.

However, this story seemed slightly too good to be true.

In the last few years, a disheartening phenomenon has begun to occur all over the country. Kids on street-corners have been told to shut down their lemonade stands and bake sales as a function of overbearing regulation.  The health, safety and environmental ordinances for local business today make it impossible for many communities to allow unlicensed sweets to be sold from cardboard boxes by children.

On July 16th 2010, the cops shut down two children selling unlicensed lemonade and brownies during a San Francisco open-air symphony.  The San Francisco Police spokesman cited the strict city ordinances to justify the shutdown and noted that all SF food sellers must obtain city permits due to health concerns.

The police spokesperson quipped in a press conference, “Just because they‘re kids they shouldn’t get a free pass, you know?”

In other places around the country, like in Montgomery County, Md, not only were the stands shut own but the parents were slapped with fines of $500 a piece for letting their children have an unlicensed entrepreneurial experience.

The punctuated irony is that Van Jones is a true believer in these types of health and environmental regulations.  He advocates them all over the country and has even wrote a bestselling book on the topic.

Jones lives with his family in Los Angeles and are proud residents of that community.  While we do not know the exact street-corner that Young Jones made his lemonade profit, it did cross our mind that he may have been in violation of a few LA ordinances, while doing it.

After a bit of Blaze research, our worst fears were confirmed. If young Jones’s entrepreneurial activity did take place in Los Angeles it would have been in direct violation of dozens of strict environmental, health and tax rules laid out by the LA Department of Public Works.  Jones, the ardent advocate of government economic intervention, should pay closer attention to the regulations of his own community.

Here is a short list of the laws that young Jones may have been in violation of according to city code:

Licensing:

  •  These Licenses require photographs, fingerprints, documents, proof of insurance, articles of incorporation and any partnership documents for the cardboard lemonade stand
  • The licenses must be applied for in person during limited hours at a limited number of locations around the county (don’t bother calling, or applying online since both options will simply tell you to apply in person)
  • State law requires that within 30 days of filing, the registrant must publish a statement in a newspaper in the county in which the business is located to announce their arrival to the community.  The ads are at the business’s expense and must run once a week for four successive weeks
  • The lemonade stand must create a fictitious business name filing documents, which is a 6 page document that requires approval from the Secretary of the State of California

Health & Sanitation

  • Must complete a seven page Health Compliance Form and Certificate of Sanitation where the lemonade stand must agree to allow its workers access to Heath Care and the ability to form a Union as well as dispose of waste in an “environmentally compliant”
  • If you plan on using real lemons, A food preparation room must be provided for fruit-cutting and food-condiments preparation. The food preparation shall include a 3-compartment sink with dual drain boards (18 inch by 18 inch and 12 deep), hand sink, 18 inch prep sink and sufficient food preparation tables and adequate amount of refrigeration space.
  • All areas of the vehicle where unpackaged food or beverages are displayed for sale shall have tight fitting doors which, when closed, completely enclose the food compartments and shall be maintained clean.
  • Lemonade stand must provide potable water and restrooms for its employees at all times.  These facilities must be less than 200 ft away from the lemonade stand
  • The lemonade stand must comply with regular random inspection from City Health officials, while paying fees for these visits

Zoning & Fire Inspection

  • The stand must have mandatory fire and zoning  inspections by the city to account for the structural viability of the cardboard lemonade stand
  • If you move the Lemonade stand you will have to re-apply to the zoning commission

Sales Tax

Fees

  • For all licenses and inspections the fees total, the initial start-up cost to young Jones will be $1,221.24
  • This will be thousands more for multiple locations or if he wishes to remodel
  • All fees are subject to annual renewal

Operating without Llicense — deemed misdemeanor — Penalty

  • A violation of Section 7.04.020 is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, or imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or both. Such fine shall not be more than $1,000.00, and shall
  • A. For the first violation, not be less than $500.00; and
  • B. For the second and any subsequent violation, be $1000.00. (Ord. 93-0061U § 2, 1993: Ord. 12335 § 2 (part), 1981: Ord. 5860 Ch. 1 Art. 1 § 7.1, 1951.)

Feeding Raccoons or Bears 

The Medallion 
  • After compliance with all the fees and regulations of LA County you are bequeathed three medallions that certify your licensing with the state, at least for that year

Van Jones Son Sets up Lemonade Stand

These regulations apply for any mobile operation providing food or drink for public consumption and apply even if the operation is located on private property.

To our knowledge, young Jones was able to make a tax-free, unlicensed profit of $11 without any run-ins from the authorities.  But he may have just been lucky this time.  The city administrators behind these laws are dead serious.

The Blaze contacted the San Fran Department of Public Works to see just how illegal a child selling lemonade might be in well-regulated California.  Spokesperson Lynn Fong responded directly to questions concerning the legality of a lemonade stand:

“It would be illegal to sell lemonade and cookies on a public street corner in San Francisco without an approved permit” Fong noted, adding “all vendors selling food in the public rights-of-way are required to first obtain a Mobile Food permit” from the city government.

Since Van Jones has headquartered his regulation advocacy group in San Francisco, this might be a a fair warning against a company bake sale.

We contacted the Department of Public Works in Los Angeles multiple times but were regularly put on hold for extended periods of time and disconnected.  They have yet to give the Blaze an official response to the legality of lemonade but their response could be inferred, since San Francisco vendors are held to the same regulation compliance as those in Los Angeles.

It must be a tough decision between comforting statist regulations and the happiness of your child.  We at the Blaze continue to support the entrepreneurial spirit of young Jones.  In fact, we hope that he picks up a copy of Hayek  and has many bake sales into the future.

The Blaze’s David Sharette Contributed to this report

Comments (118)

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  • Apple Bite
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:51am

    He didn’t build that! Somebody else did!

    Report Post » Apple Bite  
    • brian88
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:03am

      His son only wants to pay 27% income tax rate then… he’s definitely a smarter man than his idiot father.

      Report Post »  
    • brian88
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:05am

      The math on that works out to be a 27% tax rate.

      Report Post »  
    • watersRpeople
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:06am

      This is a golden opportunity for Van Jones to learn. How about if Van Jones taxes his sons gross at oh I don’t know 30% (even though for the average person they work through July now for the government), and see if his son still wants to give 3 dollars to charity, or if it dwindles to 1 dollar or maybe not at all.

      Report Post »  
    • Apple Bite
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:28am

      No, no, no. You don’t understand. Before you give to charity, you must bow to the government and pay all of your taxes due to them.

      Because…he didn’t build that sidewalk so everyone can pull up and refresh themselves with that ice cold lemonade! He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else! There’s a lot of smart children out there!

      Report Post » Apple Bite  
    • NHwinter
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:20pm

      Wait, isn’t making money from selling something rather Capitalistic!!!! But, Van Jones hates Capitalism. What is he teaching his son? And didn’t VJ make money selling his books? Is he a hypocrit? Just amazing how they profit from Capitalism yet hate it. But, bless his son’s heart, he is giving some to someone who needs it, just like most Conservatives do and Progressives don’t.

      Report Post » NHwinter  
    • 702TruthSeeker
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:50pm

      His son is a tax cheat!! If he made 11, 5 needs to be taken away right away. He can do whatever he wants with the other 6, and he MAY get some of the 5 back next year. His daddy and his daddy’s friends are trying to make it so that he keeps even less of what he makes, and the money that they are taking away is given to those who did nothing to earn it. You know, that’s what social justice is all about!

      Report Post »  
    • US Citizen
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:17pm

      Glenn should build a lemonade stand following all these regulations, total up the cost and then let everyone know how much a cup of lemonade would cost the consumer. That might get everyone thinking about the cost of government intrusion in a way they can relate too. Even idiots like Van Jones could relate to that….ok, maybe not.

      Report Post »  
    • Blazebanned
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:47pm

      Typical leftwing commie train of thought, you cant do it, but i can,arrest the kid, fine and jail him,or better yet, his father…..

      Report Post »  
    • Die Free
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:52pm

      Did he have employee health insurance. Because as the owner he could also be considered an employee. As a minor how many hrs did he work at the stand? Child labor laws only allow so many hrs. Did he have the proper cups? Paper plastic or did he re use the ones he had. The environment list ppl should check in to that since his daddy was the green jobs czar. What temp was the dink mix or was it fresh squeezed? Was it kept in ice or was ice in the container? How was the ice payed for? These r important questions. Some where the goverement did not get their Monday In taxes and I would hate to see his son in jail for tax fraud. He did not permits did he? This is the type of out of control goverement we have now and we need to get rid of obozo and his clan.

      Report Post »  
    • petitegirl
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:56pm

      Hey! I was going to say that!

      Report Post »  
    • g.prunty
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 3:06pm

      lol

      Report Post »  
    • JohnnyMidknight
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 4:46pm

      Come on guys get it right… lol

      First off he wants to give someone who needs money $3. Now, he is a private business owner, so he is not a person. He should pay 45% taxes. That means the $5 (roughly 45% of the $11) he would save goes to the government. This needs to be paid up front. Now his charitable donations of $3 will be deducted from his earnings $11, to make $8 taxable. This means he should have paid $3.60 to Uncle Sam.

      So he must fill out the appropriate forms (most likely using an accountant to which he will pay about $1 to do the work for him). Only to get $1.40 back.

      So lets break down his $11:
      $3 spent
      $3.60 to Government
      $3 to charity
      $1 to accountant

      Which equals $10.60

      That leaves a grand total of $.40 profit to save (of which was in the government hands for 1 year or so and not subject to any interest as if it was in a bank).

      Not to mention that the $3 he spent was most likely on all the insurance, licenses and fees to have the stand to begin with.

      Isn’t socialism great! (Sarcastically stated!)

      Report Post » JohnnyMidknight  
    • aschark
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 6:12pm

      I’m still laughing! Great post!!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • Unix
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:18pm

      These communists can take those lemons and stuff em where the sun don’t shine…

      Report Post » Unix  
    • Ivehadenoughtofthisgovenmentcrap
      Posted on August 4, 2012 at 1:03am

      Be careful…..urnal water….

      Report Post » Ivehadenoughtofthisgovenmentcrap  
    • CHAR51
      Posted on August 4, 2012 at 8:01am

      hes old clowns friend do, you really think he;ll get fined. like the childern did and was told to shut down. obamas friends are above the law.

      Report Post »  
  • jackact
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:50am

    As the Obama administration demonstrates daily, ‘Do as we say – not as we do’ has manifested itself in our nation in epic proportion.
    I am certain that Commie Jones obtained the prerequisite waiver for his son that protects him from the ‘brown shirt brigade’.
    Only 90 more days of this folks then REAL CHANGE is on the way.

    Report Post »  
    • bigfatslob
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 12:45pm

      Prison time for the commie puke & his kid ! Oh, wait, no more room in Calif. prisons !

      Report Post » bigfatslob  
    • gena t
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:34pm

      I am sure the thing that Van Jones is proudest of is that his son broke the law and got away with it. Doesn’t he advocate time and again, breaking those laws you disagree with? Well, his kid did and so he is proud. Start of a young revolutionary. Next step, Occupy movement with their public bowel movements. Preferably on police cars.

      Report Post »  
  • bikerdogred1
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:48am

    All this is for Van Jones to get his picture in the news and it works.Stupid news media.

    Report Post »  
  • MartyTr
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:47am

    It’s a commie thing, only you have to follow the rules.

    Report Post »  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:55am

      I’m sure Van will redistribute the profits to the other neighborhood kids who are sitting on the couch playing video games……..

      Report Post »  
  • AJAYW
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:46am

    Just maybe the money came from him selling something other than lemonade?

    Report Post »  
  • blazingaway
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:34am

    Wow, he wants to spend 27%, give 27% away and save 45% … were is the income tax?
    Is he going to take it out of his savings, charity or spending?
    Hell fine the kid, it will cost him more than he made!

    Report Post » blazingaway  
    • doomytram
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:45am

      Van Jones Green Jobs Czar said what? “Someone who needs the money” I can think of two things that need the money… 1) Hussein’s campaign. – put the 3 dollars into Oblamer for Amerika campaign account 2) Donate that money to USA who need’s the money like a rat does cheese.

      Report Post » doomytram  
  • DrunkGOP_Hack
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:33am

    “But dad, someone has to earn a HONEST buck from a HARD days WORK!”

    Report Post » DrunkGOP_Hack  
    • gillfish
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:37am

      what van was teaching little van is that as long as you are part of the political class all that permit, regulation stuff is for the little people, socialism is for the people not the socialist.

      Report Post »  
  • HKS
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:31am

    I thought these guys were against capitalism? Or is only your capitalism, theirs is OK.

    Report Post » HKS  
    • turkey13
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:44am

      You folks missed Van Jones point! In LA all you have to do is spread the wealth. This way you avoid all city permits and taxes. Young Jones is giving roughely 1/4 of his profits to the down trodden. Even if LA went after the young boy, Holder would step in and say “Discrimination.” Holder only goes after whites.

      Report Post »  
  • poster
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:30am

    I can‘t believe his son didn’t give ALL of the money to the less fortunate. It’s not fair. His dad is a 1%-er. As President Obama would say… “That family has enough, ya know?“ ”Spread that wealth around, ya know”. “You didn’t build that, ya know?“ ”We ALL built that lemonade stand, ya know?”

    Report Post »  
  • Verceofreason
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:30am

    And YOU know for a fact the kid DIDN’T have all his paperwork?
    Produce your evidence as Mittens Romney likes to say.

    Report Post » Verceofreason  
    • doomytram
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:41am

      You are kidding right? Do you think we can get out of problem we are in by requiring pages of paperwork for Lemonade Stands, Garage Sales, and Cake Sales? We are 16 trillion in Debt, 6 of it is Kitten’s (Barrack Hussein Oblamer) Oblamer‘s gov’t waste’s (flushes down the toilet) $800 billion a year. Do you think the Communist got the proper paper work? Mr. SS… Where are you papers?

      Report Post » doomytram  
    • Die Free
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 2:56pm

      @ verse I just got two words for u “suck it”
      Go to a different country if u like Socillism so much as ur comments on here lean towards. Go live there and stop trying to make this Place like there.

      Report Post »  
  • Mapache
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:24am

    I call for an OLS (Occupy Lemonade Stand) until: 1) it complies with the regulations of the masses 2) Pays its FAIR SHARE of taxes. Do not give that lame excuse that HE wants to give money to somebody who needs it…..that is not his call, the GOVERNMENT gets to decide who needs what., not some individual citizen.

    Report Post » Mapache  
  • Individualism
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:23am

    Call in the swat team full of ex marines hes got a lemonade stand.

    Report Post » Individualism  
  • RANGER1965
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:21am

    These incidents are fairly isolated and none are being reported by any of the liberal press. Since liberals like Van Jones do not read the Blaze, or listen to talk radio it is doubtful he even knows of the existence of the problem. And being a solid Statist, if he did know, he would try to take care of it quietly.

    Report Post » RANGER1965  
  • Cabo King
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:21am

    He made 15 rubles…..commie bastard

    Report Post » Cabo King  
  • ScreaminEagle
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:18am

    Van Jones should be fined $500.00. Social Justice. Fair is fair.

    Report Post » ScreaminEagle  
  • Steelhead
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:17am

    just like Beck‘s ’goon squad’ to go after children. Nice job Benny

    Report Post » Steelhead  
    • AJAYW
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:24am

      @Bonehead
      What are you doing on here, we thought that you would be at the kiss-in

      Report Post »  
    • nysteve
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:30am

      The point being made are all the stupid rules…

      Report Post »  
    • IAMMADDOG
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:31am

      Change your name to Richard Head. It would be more fitting.

      Report Post »  
    • Steelhead
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:34am

      ajax- does this mean you aren’t coming over later?

      Report Post » Steelhead  
    • undrprsr
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:46am

      Just don’t get do you MORON,Van Jones is for ALL these regulations,but feels his son should not be subject to them“The Elitist Mindset”! Search the internet several “KIDS” have had their little“Businesses” like lemonaid stands shut down by the same regulations that Van Jones supports! Pull you Progressive Head out and see the Hipocracy!

      Report Post »  
  • barber2
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:16am

    Ah, Van. The trouble one faces as a capitalist in modern America ! ( somehow I doubt that the Jones’ family will suffer from the long arm of the law that other families would . wink, wink )

    Report Post »  
  • sb36695
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:16am

    The worst part of this story is that Van Jones reproduced. Maybe he was adopted.

    Report Post »  
    • mrmo
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 8:55pm

      He does look he could bo Obummers son…

      Report Post »  
  • Frodo RinosBane
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:14am

    What a surprise! Van Jones is a hypocrite?

    Report Post » Frodo RinosBane  
  • RightUnite
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:12am

    The cops need to mail him a ticket.

    Report Post »  
  • Joyzee
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:12am

    a dead issue

    Report Post »  
  • Steelhead
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:11am

    this is what you call news? you actually investigated this? pathetic

    Report Post » Steelhead  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:18am

      Why did YOU bother to read this if it is so pathetic ? Oh, I know. You like to trash the Blaze. Nothing better to do with your time, dude ?

      Report Post »  
    • ilovetheusa1
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:23am

      according to Van Jones himself, that little money hungry kid should be giving it away. He is not entitled to $.25 for a cup of lemonade that probably cost $.02 to make. His little commie butt better plan on giving that $.23 difference to the people that made the road, that the car could drove on to buy his overprice lemonade.

      Report Post »  
    • Publius Duo
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:25am

      Yes, it is news. It shows the hypocracy of those advocating for and making the laws in this country.
      The tweet’s enough evidence to send Mr. Jones a $500 fine. Too bad you don’t see it. But that would explain why politicans who think like him get elected. Really it’s not cool-aid, it’s pink lemonade silly.
      Don’t forget your rose colored sunglasses.

      Report Post » Publius Duo  
    • Steelhead
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:28am

      barbi- nothing but a hate fest here at the Blaze especially when the ‘editors’ feed the regulars like you more red meat. need proof? read the comments

      Report Post » Steelhead  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:11am

    Well, now Van Jones has a criminal in his family; time for the Senior Van Jones to go to jail like the good little commies of the White House as his kid broke the law.

    Nothing will come of this as Van Jones is a communist leftist; therefore he is above the law and the courts in the governments eyes.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:09am

    …
    Van Jones is a liberal. It should have been Kool-Aid, not lemonade.

    Report Post »  
    • DontTreadOnTEA
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 11:24am

      Great – Jones Town Kool-Aide… don’t need any more marketing than that.

      Report Post »  
  • ferggie
    Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:05am

    Damn little right winger. Cops might need to tazer the little sucker.

    Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 3, 2012 at 10:19am

      Careful. You know how Van feels about ” the cops ! ” Probably hold a rally in Oakland next week if that happens !

      Report Post »  
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