Some of the things this city does perplexes me in so many different ways..
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Posted on Sun, Apr. 18, 2004
Sudden tax angers Bartle exhibitors
1-cent sales levy to fund parking garages
By LYNN HORSLEY
The Kansas City Star
Some consumer show planners are fuming about a new Bartle Hall tax that they knew nothing about until shortly before it was imposed this month.
The 1-cent sales tax increase applies to most purchases at Bartle Hall except big-ticket items such as boats, cars and recreational vehicles. It is intended to help pay for construction of parking garages supporting the convention center and the planned Performing Arts Center.
Only two persons voted in an election to create the tax — a representative of the city and a representative of PAC Holding Inc., a nonprofit real estate holding company set up by the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation. It owns the land where the arts center will be built.
Supporters argue the sales tax is a modest one, although they admit they do not know how much money it will raise. They contend it will not significantly hurt customers or sales and will benefit consumer show planners by supporting much needed downtown parking.
Some event planners who will bear the cost say they were not notified in advance about the tax, had no vote on it and consider it an unfair burden.
The tax affects more than 1,000 businesses selling everything from pots and pans to hot tubs to all-terrain vehicles during the Sportshow, Boat Show, RV Show, and spring and fall Home Shows, said Pat Riha, who produces the RV and boat shows. Riha said it also increases the tax on more than 200,000 tickets sold to the Bartle consumer shows and concerts at Municipal Auditorium, and the tax on large catered functions such as those for the annual corporate meeting of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
“None of the businesses to my knowledge were notified of the ordinance's implications,â€
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