South Walton Sports Complex Update

[ShallowsNole]

Are you sure about Bay Counties total tax ? It appears to be 11%. 6% sales tax (no local option sales tax) + 5% bedtax.

I checked with my buddy in Bay County to be sure. Properties located in the city of Panama City Beach have an additional 1% tax, collected directly by the city of PCB. This brings the total to 12%.

We didn't discuss Mexico Beach, but I imagine it is 11% there.

The bed tax is not collected in Panama City proper, or the total would be over 13%. I know that the total sales tax at Target/Kohl's and at Sam's is different, but in both spots it is over 8%.

 

[Interested Girl]

I checked with my buddy in Bay County to be sure. Properties located in the city of Panama City Beach have an additional 1% tax, collected directly by the city of PCB. This brings the total to 12%.

We didn't discuss Mexico Beach, but I imagine it is 11% there.

The bed tax is not collected in Panama City proper, or the total would be over 13%. I know that the total sales tax at Target/Kohl's and at Sam's is different, but in both spots it is over 8%.

So the 12% is a combination of a 6% sales tax, 5% bedtax, and a 1% License fee levied by the City of Panama City Beach.

Thank you so much oh expert one !

 

[wrobert]

Are you sure about Bay Counties total tax ? It appears to be 11%. 6% sales tax (no local option sales tax) + 5% bedtax.

One of those places, I think PC Beach, has a 1% merchant fee, not a tax. Something that I think is only done in two places in the State. Do not know how that falls in the big picture.

 

[ShallowsNole]

One of those places, I think PC Beach, has a 1% merchant fee, not a tax. Something that I think is only done in two places in the State. Do not know how that falls in the big picture.

Bay County considers PCB's to be a tax; perhaps I should check with my friends at DOR to be sure. But if we are speaking of merchant fees, there are at least three neighborhoods in SoWal that charge those. One of those is at 2%.

Where it really gets funn is when you have to explain to a homeowner in one of those "neighborhoods" that tax must be charged on the merchant fee. That tends to draw a negative response.:roll:

 

[Bob Wells]

What, there are communities that have merchant fees, that must devastate business and keep tourist from going there. I am sure it is a blighted neighborhood and those businesses are closing their doors left and right.

 

[30ashopper]

Do we really want to spend money on world renown sport complexes in an effort to bring even more tourists here? SoWal sometimes feels like one gigantic hotel. I'd much prefer we concentrate on building facilities that promote our community, rather than tourism. Particularly facilities that serve the needs of our full-time residents, especially the families that live here.

Local community oriented facilities usually aren?t that expensive. A community pool, a baseball diamond where it?s needed, a soccer field ? all good long term investments because they attract full time residents that pay taxes and help build a better, more close knit community of friends and neighbors. (This kind of community can also help promote tousim because people want to feel like they are part of it.)

If we keep headed down the road we are on, where 70% of SoWal residents only live here one week out of the year, we?ll lose what makes this area so unique.

Also, please consider that (as has been pointed out) one of the surest ways to siphon tourists away from neighboring counties is to lower tourist taxes, not increase them. Particularly if you're interesting in attracting middle income folks looking for a reasonably priced family vacation at the beach.

 

[Bob Wells]

Do we really want to spend money on world renown sport complexes in an effort to bring even more tourists here? SoWal sometimes feels like one gigantic hotel. I'd much prefer we concentrate on building facilities that promote our community, rather than tourism. Particularly facilities that serve the needs of our full-time residents, especially the families that live here.

Local community oriented facilities usually aren?t that expensive. A community pool, a baseball diamond where it?s needed, a soccer field ? all good long term investments because they attract full time residents that pay taxes and help build a better, more close knit community of friends and neighbors. (This kind of community can also help promote tousim because people want to feel like they are part of it.)

If we keep headed down the road we are on, where 70% of SoWal residents only live here one week out of the year, we?ll lose what makes this area so unique.

Also, please consider that (as has been pointed out) one of the surest ways to siphon tourists away from neighboring counties is to lower tourist taxes, not increase them. Particularly if you're interesting in attracting middle income folks looking for a reasonably priced family vacation at the beach.

Until we can bring in industry to provide jobs to our area, tourism is what provides employment to our citizens, As for the reduction in taxes for tourism, the comments about area having a merchant fee, example is Baytowne Wharf, does not seem to impact them doing business. If anything because of it they have ongoing events and music and fireworks which seems to attract people to spend money there. I like the idea of a sports and even an art complex as long as it would help the local economy. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. I want to see 331 bridge widened but not at the expense of having a toll bridge, thats like taxing those folks making $10.00 hour cleaning rental units, or county employee making $25k a year having to pay twice a day, 5 days a week to go to work. At least the possibility is this complex could potentially be self sustaining and locals would be able to use it also. The truck stop on I 10 was assisted with tax breaks to open and when it was closed the County lost significant revenue.

 

[30ashopper]

Until we can bring in industry to provide jobs to our area, tourism is what provides employment to our citizens, As for the reduction in taxes for tourism, the comments about area having a merchant fee, example is Baytowne Wharf, does not seem to impact them doing business. If anything because of it they have ongoing events and music and fireworks which seems to attract people to spend money there. I like the idea of a sports and even an art complex as long as it would help the local economy. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. I want to see 331 bridge widened but not at the expense of having a toll bridge, thats like taxing those folks making $10.00 hour cleaning rental units, or county employee making $25k a year having to pay twice a day, 5 days a week to go to work. At least the possibility is this complex could potentially be self sustaining and locals would be able to use it also. The truck stop on I 10 was assisted with tax breaks to open and when it was closed the County lost significant revenue.

There are countless ways to do that that don't involve building some huge, artsy fartsy arts complex that a mjority of full time residents won't find useful.

#1 top option if all you want to do is increase tourism and tax revenue at the expense of community - legalize gambling on the bay. (Or convince Bay County to do it.) That would generate hundreds of million of tax revenue, provide tens of thousands of jobs, and would also alow us to lower property and sales taxes.

As far as merchant taxes go, taxing small businesses create more problems that they solve. If you really want to generate revenue for something you feel you would use or need, be honest about it a support an increase in the sales tax so that everyone pays their fair share.

 

[seagrovegirl]

Luckily they didn't throw the TM on the end so it's up for grabs.



Thanks, forgot about their increase for the low cost air carrier.



Take another Aricept. I'll go with the expert here.[/quote]

SWGB.......keep it up and you will be some sort of bait......Gator, Shark, etc...it might be time to file down that sharp tongue of yours. We may not always agree with IG, but I have to say, IMO, that was a mean comment. Whay is up with you????

 

[Just Curious]

Isn't there a merchant fee in Rosemary, Seaside, Gulf Place and Bawtown? And I thought that they were optional.