Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on March 31, 2009 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, as a business owner I don’t really want my cost of doing business to go up. On the other, I have done everything possible to establish my business as a legal entity and I report all income to the government, but I have to compete daily with individuals who provide the same services with no tax id and no official business. They can undercut me on price, and then when they do a bad job, it makes the jilted customer hesitant to try again, even with a legitimate business owner.

As a resident: no matter how much we would like to continue the way we’ve been going, the reality is there’s no more revenue coming into the county. We (including me) rally against the prospect of a county sales tax, increased property tax or anything else, but we complain when our county roads and bridges aren’t maintained to our satisfaction. The only way it’s getting done to any real degree is when the state or federal government gives the county some of the money they took from us in taxes. Maybe we can at least exercise some influence over how the local politicos spend our money if it’s collected locally. When it comes back to us as grants, it’s earmarked.

I guess I’d like to see which “plan” the county would follow along with some estimates of the revenue it would generate before I make my final decision.

Posted by southernpride (anonymous) on March 31, 2009 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am totally against this dumb plan. It only costs businesses which pass the costs on to the consumer. Unfortunately it will pass against the will of the people here in socialist America.

Why not put in a tax on hotels? People that visit here will not complain about a couple of extra bucks on a room. This will not increase any costs for local citizens.

Best idea of all, the commissioners should forfeit their pay, they do little to earn it any way. If they ran for office for the purpose of bettering the county, then they should be glad to do so!!!!!!!!!

Posted by bmaze (Brent Maze) on March 31, 2009 at 1:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There already is a lodging tax.

Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on March 31, 2009 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thanks, Brent. You beat me to it.

Of course, we could raise it a couple of more notches. That way, the relatively small number of people who stop off here for the night can get the shaft until word gets out that Chilton County is an expensive place to stay, and then they can take all their business (and tax revenue) to Shelby or Autauga county hotels. We'll get the same percentage of lodging tax revenue as we do fine dining tax revenue... zero.

Where are the "tax the drunks" advocates? I would have expected them to weigh in by now.

Posted by AZSneed (anonymous) on March 31, 2009 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

OK! TAX THE DRUNKS!!

Posted by southernpride (anonymous) on March 31, 2009 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I am sure you are right. If a room costs $2.00 a night more than it does now, the out of town people will go to Prattville or Calera where the room will costs $40 or more than the ones here!!

I am sure the people that smoke want quit when the new federal tax takes effect, so tax cigarrettes and alcohol more as if they aren't taxed enough.

I am not in favor of any tax hikes but only offered this as an alternative. If anyone has a better solution, lets here it.