Pawn Shops Not Wanted in Troy

TROY, MI — Pawn shops might be popular in Las Vegas and other cities, but Troy is saying no thanks. The Troy City Council recently decided to pass on an ordinance that would have allowed pawn shops to operate in the city.

Council was asked to take up the matter at the request of Troy resident Michael Antoun, who wanted to run what he called a high-end jewelry and and computer items at an Oakland Mall store front. The Troy Times reported that council members balked at the idea.

“It doesn’t fit the flavor of the city of Troy,” Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Hodorek told the newspaper. “It’s not a direction we need to take.”

Mayor Dane Slater said adopting such an ordinance might open a pandora’s box for multiple pawn shops to move into Troy. He didn’t totally close the idea, however.

“Maybe we’ll look at it in the future,” Slater told the Troy Times.

The city attorney’s office, the police department and city clerk’s office drafted a pawn shop ordinance and presented it to council. The draft would have required each licensee to record every transaction in a database and to install and maintain security cameras, the Troy Times reported. Violations would have resulted in revocation of business licenses and/or prosecution, according to the newspaper.

Troy Assistant Attorney Nicole MacMillan told council at a March 20 meeting that there is no requirement for the city to have a pawn shop ordinance. Without the ordinance, pawnshops cannot be operated in the city, the Troy Times reported.

Photo by Jay Galvin via Flickr Commons