MEDICAL MART TAX ESCALATES DESPITE RECESSION

When do we shut it down?

The latest tax figure for collection of that quarter percent sales tax for the Medical Mart & Convention Center cost Cuyahoga County taxpayers totaled $3,479,373.20 in November.

Despite the recessionary impact on consumption, the tax continues to be higher than predicted. The November figure is a bit higher than the $3,427,717.90 in September.

The total collected since January when the tax started is $38,712,692.71. That’s $38 million extra in sales taxes paid by Cuyahoga consumers this year thus far.

The collection of more than $3-million every month since the tax started in January indicates that the total take will go above the $40-million figure estimated by County officials when they assessed the tax.

The tax was assessed by a 2-1 vote by Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora, two of the County’s worse Commissioners in my memory. That’s saying something.

Since we have been in a recession the entire time it means that the County underestimated its total take and the tax will amount to much more than $40 a year for its 20 year duration (if not extended as such taxes usually are.) The $800 million will escalate upward, especially considering inflation over the 20 years.

I’d say it’s likely the tax would be extended to pay for losses of the med mart/convention center over the years.

Where is a political voice that will say, “Enough! End the tax and use what has been collected to fund severely underfunded needs.”