Difference between revisions of "Hamburger tax"

From FranaWiki
 
(4 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
The “hamburger tax” is a plan instigated by the [[City of Little Rock Board of Directors]] in early 2006 in order to fund the [[Clinton Presidential Center]].   The design for the tax is a 1.5% increase in taxes on prepared foods in Arkansas at local businesses and establishments such as restaurants (including drive-in restaurants), grocery stores, convenient stores, gas stations, cafes, cafeterias, small burger establishments, motels, and other related businesses.  The ordinance is set to be annulled in six years time. The foreseen expectancy for the funds raised from the tax was $550,000 a year.
+
The '''Hamburger tax''' is the common name for hotel and restaurant tax collections made by the [[City of Little Rock]] on behalf of the [[Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission]]. The tax was inaugurated in 1970 to promote tourism. The tax rate was initially set at one cent per dollar of sales, and increased to two cents in 1979.  
 
 
Residents were welcome and invited to the meeting to profess their opinion on the matter.  Regardless of these opinions, the regulation was won with an 8-2 vote, with only one council member present, Alderman Steve Lee, who voted no.  The other vote in opposition was by Alderman Leroy Allen, who stated that he would have voted against the ordinance had he been present for the council meeting.  Allen felt that the ordinance was unjust because it was decided by the council and not the people.  He felt that it should be the people who decide on whether they pay a tax or not; but the council had the final say on the matter.
 
  
 +
In November 1997 the [[Little Rock Board of Directors]] floated the idea of a hamburger tax increase to fund the purchase of 26 acres of land for the [[Clinton Presidential Center]]. The plan, with an estimated windfall of $15 million, called for a one-cent increase in taxes on prepared foods and hotel stays in Little Rock. Protests by on-air radio personalities and local citizens persuaded the directors to abandon the hamburger tax plan on December 3, 1997. The city settled instead on the issuance of [[park revenue bonds]] to pay for the site.
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
*
 
  
 +
*Leonard Kniffel, "Little Rock Nixes Burger Tax to Fund Clinton Library," ''American Libraries,'' 29.2 (February 1998): 17-18.
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
*
 

Latest revision as of 12:33, 16 February 2008

The Hamburger tax is the common name for hotel and restaurant tax collections made by the City of Little Rock on behalf of the Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission. The tax was inaugurated in 1970 to promote tourism. The tax rate was initially set at one cent per dollar of sales, and increased to two cents in 1979.

In November 1997 the Little Rock Board of Directors floated the idea of a hamburger tax increase to fund the purchase of 26 acres of land for the Clinton Presidential Center. The plan, with an estimated windfall of $15 million, called for a one-cent increase in taxes on prepared foods and hotel stays in Little Rock. Protests by on-air radio personalities and local citizens persuaded the directors to abandon the hamburger tax plan on December 3, 1997. The city settled instead on the issuance of park revenue bonds to pay for the site.

References

  • Leonard Kniffel, "Little Rock Nixes Burger Tax to Fund Clinton Library," American Libraries, 29.2 (February 1998): 17-18.

External links