The quarter percent sales tax for the medical mart has now cost County taxpayers $87 million. MMPI, Tim Hagan and his Kennedy friends thank you all. Keep it coming, says Tim.
This is to fulfill the agenda of the Greater Cleveland Partnership. The corrupters of our civic life mentioned in my post below. The takers in our community life.
Since January 2008 through February 2010 County taxpayers have paid via the County Commissioners voted sales tax increase $87,131,339.38 for the med mart & convention center project.
That’s $87 million in slightly over two years. How it rolls in!
That is $87 million that could not be spent on food, gasoline, restaurants, toys, theater tickets or even cigarettes. In other words, this is $87 million worth of anti-stimulus money for Cuyahoga County businesses. It’s all take, no give.
That wasn’t the end of our contributions, however.
We have also contributed $63 million for the Browns. Is it in any way worth it? That’s more income really for Randy Lerner and family. Stimulus for the billionaires. And, of course, for the putrid football team.
We’ve been paying sales “sin” taxes on alcohol and cigarette products for the Browns Stadium (used maybe 9 or 10 times a year) since August 2005. It simply picked up from Gateway’s taxes. But you did vote for it.
The total take is $63,088,767.28. Thank you suckers, says Randy.
Just for the fun of it, here’s how the tax breaks down:
Cigarette smokers gave: $14.3 million.
Alcohol drinkers gave: $22.8 million.
Beer drinkers gave: $20.6 million.
Wine & Mixed beverage drinkers gave: $5.1 million.
That is $63 million that can’t be spent on food, gasoline, restaurants, toys, theater tickets or even cigarettes. To say nothing of rent and your mortgage. Another anti-stimulus poke to the wallet and a loss for Cuyahoga County businesses.
It comes in small bites but it’s somebody’s big free dinner.
The arts & culture tax has netted $58 million of your tax dollars since February 2007. The exact take was $58,061,190.71.
The taxes come primarily from cigarette smokers.
The total extra taxes – all highly regressive – total well more than $200 million taken in highly regressive taxes, the kind wealth people love to impose on ordinary, hard-working people.
You know most of it is only the beginning. Because the taxes remain for years and years to come. I doubt that anyone will legally challenge these taxes by a vote.
Links:
[1] http://realneo.us/content/county-commissioners-another-money-drain
[2] http://realneo.us/content/roldo-bartimole-0
[3] http://realneo.us/content/county-reform-needs-reform