Bowling pin refinishing fees and charges for Haunted Houses in Lakewood are slated to rise along with property taxes, gas utility taxes, and costs to use public parks per the Special Meeting of the City Council set for Monday, Nov.26, 7 P.M. at City Hall.
Interestingly not mentioned in the packet however is any reference to raising the tax on gambling revenue, currently set at a flat 11%.
Unless it’s in the fine print somewhere, the proposal at the City Council’s Budget Workshop Nov. 19, to raise taxes on the take at the city’s local casinos to 12.5% (page 9), didn’t make the cut.
That’s odd since on October 1st of this year when the Council voted unanimously to enter an agreement with the Nisqually Indian Tribe for the latter to develop property within the City it was only after the tribe promised, among other conditions, that said property – or any future acquisitions by the Indians – would not become “a gambling establishment in the City as such is contrary to the City’s long term vision for South Tacoma Way.”
Since casinos by law can be taxed to 20%, and the City has indicated its vision for the future does not include gambling, then would this not be an appropriate opportunity for the City to make good on its stated intentions by raising the tax on gambling revenue?
It’s going to cost you more to spiff up those bowling pins after all (let alone live where you do, or picnic in the park for that matter) so you’d think the City could score a strike or two against the casinos by raising their rates – as opposed to throwing a gutter ball.
Thanks again, David, your comments are right on. If I could draw a political style cartoon, it would depict the Lakewood City Council enmeshed in a giant spider web of the casinos making. The spider knows which web-strings to pull to manipulate the council members to take actions(or not) that benefit the big, fat, ugly spider !!
The Lakewood City Council had better wake up. This is not a time to raise taxes on anybody. I didn’t know we had some “tax and spend” council members.
David, are you to tell me that the Lakewood City Council can’t raise money without raising taxes? No fund raisers, no contests, no Lakewood lottery, no tip jar out in the open…..what does it take to wake up the City Council and tell them “No New and Existing Taxes”!
Does it take about 100 or more Lakewood citizens to storm the City Hall and each and every one tell them that? That can be done. But what would that do, with flaring tempers. Not a darn thing.
How about the retiree’s who are on a fixed income. The City Council will never mention them and they never have as to what I’ve been told.
Your right on with the Casino tax, it should be raised. Why not and who is protecting them….all the Council members?
That reminds me about the 4th of July? We have fireworks going off in Lakewood but not in Steilacoom or Tacoma. Who is paying off the City Council to keep THAT going?
Oh, I could go on and on. Sorry to rant but the City of Lakewood should not raise taxes on the workers and retiree’s.