Columbia news, views & reviews received this email late last evening:

“here is a tip — seems we have a current council member/candidate/ex-market manager running a candy shop in the 200 block of Locust Street, who moved her son in after he left the market, who sells tacos. Guess what? There is no license to prepare foods on the site. Seems mamma council person is abusing her status once again.”

To demonstrate or dispel allegations, tips, chitchat or street talk relayed to us, here is referenced documentation on your inquiry.

PUBLIC EATING AND DRINKING PLACE CHECKLIST. Borough of Columbia Codes officer, Jeff Helm, approved an inspection of Tacos To Go on January 31, 2011. According to the checklist, the owner(s)/Agent(s) are either/or both Mark Vera and Renae Sears.

Tacos ta go borough inspection

PA ACT 106 of 2010. “On Nov. 23, 2010, Act 106 of 2010 was enacted, clarifying and strengthening oversight of food safety inspections for all retail food facilities, or restaurants and retail food stores … ” During a conversation with a Department of Agriculture public information officer two days ago, it was confirmed that all agencies in the state will be using a consistent inspection form for dining establishments; all of these inspections are supposed to be available for public viewing at the Department of Agriculture Website. Each Sunday, the Lancaster Sunday News publishes recent inspection results. Here is an example of a recent state inspection (Food Facility Inspection Report example) showing the form that is used in Pennsylvania.  At the Eat Safe PA Website, the Department of Agriculture specifies that. “Every inspector goes about their inspections a bit differently; however, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Food Code will be ‘the standard’ used to inspect retail food facilities – no matter what the licensing jurisdiction. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Food Code will be guided by the U.S. Public Health Service, Food & Drug Model Food Code in the future through the normal regulatory process.”

FICTITIOUS NAME REGISTRATION. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania stipulates that businesses operating in Pennsylvania will have a Fictitious Name Registration for establishments that do not beat the name of the owner. “A fictitious name is any assumed name, style or designation other than the proper name of the entity using such name. The surname of a person, standing alone or coupled with words that describe the business, is not a fictitious business name.” A check of the Department of State database reveals no fictitious name registration on file for Watermelon Rind, Tacos Ta Go or Tacos To Go.

LICENSES (FOOD HANDLER’S CERTIFICATE AND LICENSE TO COLLECT SALES AND USE TAX) SHOULD BE PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED. “Each retail food facility must have one certified food employee (example shown below) who is accredited (and maintains accreditation) by a nationally recognized program, including National Restaurant Association Solutions, LLC (ServSafe), Thomson Prometrics, Inc., or the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, Inc.

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has a user-friendly Website for persons going into business. At the site it specifies the particulars of the Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax: “The sales and use tax (rev-585 sales and use tax brochure) is imposed on the retail sale, consumption, rental or use of tangible personal property in Pennsylvania. The tax is also imposed on certain services relating to such property and on the charge for specific business services.”