Arkansas Blog: Hashing out the hamburger tax

Strong Mayor Mark Stodola has appointed a committee to study the two-cent sales tax applied to restaurant and hotel sales -- the "hamburger tax." They'll study how the levy is used and presumably whether another penny might be in order. (Hey, don't shout at me.) Inevitably, I"d guess there'd be some discussion on the wisdom of past expenditures by the LR Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is overseen by the appointed Advertising and Promotion Commission.

Some have eyed this as a source for park improvements. Some say "over my dead body." The A&P has been generally resistant to overtures from City Hall to tap its revenues for the city budget, even for expenditures allowed by state law, such as parks.

News release on the jump.

LITTLE ROCK NEWS RELEASE

Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola today announced the members of a Hotel/Restaurant Tax Review Committee which will examine and advise him on the taxing structure regarding Little Rock hotels and restaurants. This tax mechanism is created by state law and given to advertising and promotion commissions throughout the state.

“The committee will look at the amount of taxes that can be levied, the permitted uses of the tax, who pays the tax and how it is paid, and what benefits come to our citizens by virtue of the taxes received,” noted the Mayor in making the announcement.

Mayor Stodola will convene the first meeting of this body on Friday, February 15 at 12 noon at Little Rock City Hall in the City Board Chambers.

The members of the committee are:

· Susan Fleming, public finance underwriter; former Little Rock City Manager

· Larry Carpenter, Holiday Inn Presidential Center

· Patricia Johnson, U. S. Bank

· Gregg Herning, Peabody Little Rock

· Paul Young, Jr., Arkansas Municipal League

· Kathy Webb, Lily’s Dim Sum; State Representative

· Henry Lee, Vino’s

· Bill Spivey, attorney, Wright, Lindsey & Jennings, LLP

· Chris Tanner, Cheers in the Heights

· Pat Miller, Moore Stephens Frost

· Dr. Billie Calloway, educator

· Larry Lichty, LEL Enterprises; former City Director

· Hal Kemp, attorney, Kemp Duckett & Arnold

· Rick O’Brien, Crews & Associates

· Kim Evans, UALR Non-profit Center

“I am appreciative that these citizens have agreed to serve,” said Mayor Stodola. “Their expertise, experience, and advice will be important as the City surveys all the taxing structures that exist or are provided to municipalities.”

“I am pleased that the Advertising and Promotion Commission staff has offered to assist this committee in gathering the necessary information for the committee’s review,” added the Mayor.

Comments

All right, dammit: We now have a "strong" mayor and are paying him, what, $165,000 a year? Well, I say he should be making these recommendations himself instead of appointing commissions and whatnot. Hell, Jim DAILEY could appoint a commission, and he didn't hardly make nuttin'.

And we've STILL got an expensive city manager in addition to the newly expensive mayor.

And we STILL need commissions?

I want my money back.

Posted by: Carrick Patterson | February 14, 2008 07:48 PM

Screw the Hamburger tax, the AP Commission and the hopes of adding 1 more cent to the tax. Dean Kumpuris and his gang have mispent our hard earned tax dollars. They don't need any more to play with.

Posted by: Billary | February 14, 2008 10:59 PM

Posted by: Billary | February 14, 2008 11:00 PM

Billary, the A&P Commission agrees with you. They don't think the tax should be raised. It is your tax and spend Mayor that wants to raise the tax because he can't balance his budget. He already asked the A&P for millions, and they agreed to help him out but for less. Now he is trying another way to get your hard earned tax dollars.

Posted by: dowhat | February 15, 2008 07:19 AM

Based on all the monkey business with the commission last year and previously, they need to justify keeping the tax they've already got, much less bumping it up a bit.

Posted by: Up The Road | February 15, 2008 07:32 AM

Kumpuris and gang (aka AP Comission) who Kumpuris said "they have not done a damn thing wrong" had thier little cush office in West Little Rock, bought a car as a going away present, etc. etc. have taken in thousands of tax payer money. Hell yes, they should give Stodola whatever he asked for.

Posted by: Billary | February 15, 2008 09:31 AM

Maybe they ought to concentrate on enforced collection of the tax they impose. Last Spring it was revealed that a number of restaurants had been stiffing the city for years. As far as I can tell, nobody has initiated any legal action to try to get these folks to cough up. Just try to do that to DF&A or the IRS and see what amusement will quickly follow.

Posted by: bopbamboom | February 15, 2008 12:17 PM

Arkansas Blog

Hashing out the hamburger tax

Comments

Post a comment