At Monday evening's Finance Committee meeting, after getting a sneak preview of the City's latest financial audit and hearing dire predictions from various Dept. heads and the City Treasurer (especially concerning the upcoming late Summer months)--it was decided Officials faced 3 choices: 1)raise ad valorem taxes; 2)raise utility rates/fees; 3) institute a city sales tax.
A sales tax (directed primarily at tourists) seemed to be the favored option by all there, except for Councilman Ford who favored option number number two. "People don't pay enough for City services," surmised Ford.
Lawyer/Councilman Kingrea summed up for the opposition , "If anyone can come up with a better way to maintain our City services and quality of life (than having tourists help pay via sales tax)-- I'd like to know about it."
Public Work's Jenny Fiddler later contributed, "Maybe we could just tax people on weekends!"
It has been estimated a 2% sales tax could generate up to an additional $300,000 per month in revenue for the City.
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