RESIDENTS SOUND OFF ON SALES TAX
Thursday, March 24th, 2005 -- 12:44 PM
Here's what people were saying about the prospect of Clark Co. implementing a .05 sales tax:"$1.5-million on a $50- to $60-million annual budget - it's really not much. It's just like being a coke addict. If we give you another million-and-a-half, you're going to spend $1.9-million" -- [b]Clark Palmer, Neillsville, against the sale tax.[/b]
"The older folks that are having trouble making their real estate tax payments aren't going to be buying taxable merchandise. They buy the basic food and the items they need to live and they're not buying cars. In my opinion, the biggest payout with the county sales tax is going to be from people who buy a new automobile every year or every other year. I happen to be one of those people. My thought is 'if I can afford a new car, I can afford a half-a-percent sales tax." --[b]County Board supervisor Charles Harwick, Hatfield, for the sales tax[/b]
"The property owner is paying the bill. The non-property owners that live here don't pay anything toward the county." -- [b]Jerry Tieman, Loyal, explaining he supports the tax because it would force renters to chip in for county services.[/b]
"This would cost me $1,307 a year. In the tavern industry, we're not going to raise our prices a penny or two pennies on a beverage or 3, 4-cents on a meal, so the prices are going to stay the same and we're going to have to make up the difference." -- [b]Tom Dahlen, Granton, owner of Tommy's Hilltop. He's against the tax.[/b]
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