Mesa didn't see psychic debate coming

Bet even some in the psychic reading business didn't see this one coming. The Mesa City Council was expected to repeal a licensing requirement for the city's fortunetellers. But a highly emotional plea from a Mesa psychic reader forced some in the council to reconsider. It was enough for the vote to fail 4-3.

Former city councilman Tom Rawles had taken the lead on ending the license required for those in the psychic reading, clairvoyance, astrology and palmistry industry - all 14 licensed operators as of last count in Mesa.

The city had no business regulating the industry and was simply collecting a tax with no return to the community, Rawles had said.

But as the council went about its business Monday night, 14-year Mesa resident and licensed fortuneteller, Jennifer Adams, her voice choking, urged the city to actually retain the license requirement. Adams said background checks and fingerprinting the city conducts before awarding the license protects the reputations of legitimate psychics.

"We get a very bad reputation from other people that come to see me that tell me they got ripped off," Adams said.

"I don't want to have a bad reputation because of someone else's damages that they've made," Adams added. "I don't want to have hurt feelings because of someone else's mistakes."

Gilbert, Glendale, Tempe and Scottsdale have similar license requirements.

Mesa charges $300 for the application fee and $300 for an annual renewal. In 2006-07, the city collected $3,600 in these fees.

Adams even went so far as to ask the city to increase the license fee to ensure the "riffraff" in the industry do not set up shop in Mesa.

"We will have a lot of con artists that will come in and set up anywhere they like," Adams said. "I would like to raise the license to check and see who's legal or not."

The Rev. Moemi Medina, a spiritual and metaphysical minister, also said she would want to continue the license, although she asked that the fee be lowered.

Councilman Scott Somers said he appreciated the passion and concern, but that Mesa doesn't hand out a certification or anything that would check their skills.

"We're not testing your profession, we're taxing it," Somers said, adding all the city ends up doing is collecting money, without any return to the community.

He drew support from Mayor Scott Smith and Councilman Alex Finter.

Smith said unless there's an overriding public interest, government should simply let the market forces play out.

"I don't believe that this is an area government should be regulating," Smith said.

But Councilwoman Dina Higgins said the system has protected the community from "crooks" and the $300 charged pays the cost of background checks.

"If we keep the licensing, we may as a city save money," Higgins said. "If we have con artists that move in, it might be more expensive for the city to pay for constant police upkeep on that."

Vice Mayor Kyle Jones completed that train of thought.

"If someone from the industry comes to us and says please keep the background check and fingerprinting, I see no reason why not to continue it."