I’ve written two things arguing against the proposed 2% tourism tax. The tourism tax would increase sales tax on food and beverages sold at Eupora’s restaurants from 7% to 9%– a 29% increase in the sales tax. The vote on this proposal is July 18, 2023.
I am not a resident of Eupora, and so cannot vote. But we have lived in Webster County for almost 14 years. We try to support the city’s business and services as much as we’re able. This will affect everyone in the county who frequents Eupora’s restaurants.
My two pieces are based on facts and arguments, rather than just opinions. I’d appreciate your sharing these with friends and family who do live in Eupora. They are PDFs so you can download & print, send links, and post links to social media.
The first piece is Tourism Tax: Taxation Without Representation. It is a short letter to the editor of the Webster Progress Times that will appear in the newspaper on Friday, July 14.
The second is a rebuttal to a long letter to the editor by Eupora mayor, Blake McMullen. By any objective standards of what a convincing argument should be, McMullen’s letter fails. In my A Rebuttal to McMullen’s “Tourism Tax smart, necessary step for city to take,” I take issue with the three benefits he claims the tourism tax will have on the city.
I’m not on fb or other social media, so I’d appreciate your help in circulating these. Thanks!