1961-02-20 - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 6' ON MOTION THE MEETING ADJOURNED. r i -' CLERK J, ~ PR SIDENT COUNCIL CHAMBER - FEBRUARY ?O, 1861 THE COUNCIL MET IN REGULAR SESSION ON THIS DATE WITH THE FOLIO~.JING MEMBERS PRESENT: MR. NAGGERTY, MR. MICHIE, MR. MOUNT AND MR. SCRIBNER. ABSENT: MR. LEE. THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF FEBRUARY 5, 19C1 WERE READ AND APPROVED. THE MAYOR AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANYONE WHO WISHED TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE LICENSE TAX ORDINANCE. MR. RANDOLPH BEAN ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL AND PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: INTRODUCTION I AM RANDOLPH BEAN, A DIRECTOR OF THE RETAIL MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION. THE FOLLOWING REMARKS ARE MADE ON BEHALF OF THE 16O LOCAL BUSINESSF..S COMPRISING THE ASSOCIATION. NEED FOR SOUND TAX STRUCTURE AS BUSINESSMEN, b!E ARF VITALLY INTERESTED IN THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT PREVAIL IN CHARLOTTESVILLE. WE RECOGNIZE THAT TO PRODUCE A GOOD CLIMATE FOR OUR BUSINESSES, THE CITY MUST HAVE GOOD GOVERNMENT AND GOOD GOVFRNMENTA~ SERVICES. WE ASK FOR AND WE ARE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE KIND OF MEN WHO SERVE OUR CITY ON ITS GOVERNING BODY. LIKEWISE WE ADVOCATE THOSE SERVICES WHICH WILL MAKE THIS COMMUNITY AN EVEN MORE OUTSTANDING PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE. IT IS OBVIOUS STATEMENT RE: THAT 4 SOUND TAX STRIiCTURF IS NECESSARY 'JHICH WILL PRODUCE REVENUE TO PAY FOR LICENSE TAX ORDINANCE THESE SERVICES. PROPOSED TAX INCREASE A FEW WEEKS AGO AFTER THE REPORT OF A STUDY GROUP ON TEACHERS' SALARIES, THE CITY COUNCIL DETERMINED THAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO MEET AN INCREASE IN PROJECTED EXPENDITURES. THE COUNCIL'S FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS PROPOSED TO RAISE THE RATES OF CERTAIN EXISTING TAXES. AS REPORTED IN THE DAILY PROGRESS OF FEBRUARY Z, "SWEEPING IIPWARD REVISIOPJS IN LICENSE TAXES INCLUDING BOOSTS OF UP TO NEARLY 5O PER CENT IN THE RETAIL MERCHANTS LCVY, `dERE RECOMMENDED Tn CITY COUNCIL ....~~ THE COMMITTEE REPORTED THAT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS '~lERF MADE TO BRING THE EXISTING LICENSE T4X ORDINANCE IN LINE WITH SIMILAR ORDINANCES IN OTHER VIRGINIA CITIES. THUS, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE RETAIL MERCHANTS TAX BE INCREASED TO A LEVEL WHICH `.dOULD BE APPROXIMATELY THE AVERAGE OF THAT TAX AS LEVIED IN ?~ OTHER VIRGINIA CITES. u RETAIL TAXATION IN 158, THE VIRGINIA RETAIL MERCHANTS ~SSCCIATION EMPLOYED MITCHELL, ~lIGGINS AND COMPANY, RICHMOND CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS, TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF THE TAXES IMPOSED ON VIRGINIA RETAILERS IN RELATION TO THE TAXES LEVIED IN CTHER STATES. THIS STUDY REVEALED TH4T IN COMPARISION WITH RETAIL MERCHANTS IN OTHER SOUTHEASTERN STATES, VIRGINIA MERCHANTS CARRY ONE OF THE HIGHEST STATE AND LOCAL TAX BURDENS. FOR EXAMPLE, A CORPORATION 4:~HICH HAS RET41L SALES OF $?_,~~0.~~ PAYS DIRECT STATE AND LOCAL TAXES IN VIRGINIA WHICH 4RF MORE THAN 5~ HIGHER THAN COMPARABLE TAXES IN NORTH CAROLINA AND MORE THAN 1O~ HIGHER THAN SIMILAR TAXES ® IN GEORGIA. A COMPARISON OF THE RETAIL MERCHANTS TAX IS EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE. IN THIS rATEGORY ONLY WEST VIRGINIA TAXES RETAILERS MORE THAN VIRGINIA ANO THESE T4!O STATES ARE FAR AHEAD OF THE REST.