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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

Our own fault

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Dear Editor,

Mayor Dennis Berry wrote enjoining people to shop local. Local merchants support local institutions and activities and supporting them is good for the community. It had the ring of motherhood and apple pie.

In all things, the mayor was decrying competition from out of town and Internet sources for the goods the customer wanted to buy. Goods that one can purchase at lower prices, due in part to avoiding sales taxes.

The McCook City Council can take responsibility for initiating the local sales tax. Past Councilperson Linda Taylor, herself a local merchant, led the charge to get the local sales tax.

For many years, the city was financed by the perfectly acceptable property tax, but rather than careful budgeting and having to face resistance from angry property owners who resist any tax increases, Linda's group formed and pushed for the local option sales tax in the mantra of modern liberals who cry for ever more tax money to spend.

It had the appeal of a perfect tax, the one that the other guy has to pay. Why not skim a little from the out-of-towners who, after all, use our local streets and services?

Well the answer is that local merchants have to compete not only locally but nation-wide. The local sales tax only adds to the price that local merchants have to charge and the customer has the freedom to shop wherever he can get the best price.

The mayor can appeal to conscience all he wants, overlooking the fact that we have done it ourselves by voting for the additional sales tax.

Dick Trail

McCook

Comments
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  • Dick is correct that catalogue, internet and QVC type sales do not charge local sales tax. What Mr. Trail does not mention is that nearly every city the size of McCook or larger charges as high or higher sales tax. What he also failed to mention is that because half the sales taxes go to lower property tax, McCook has not raised that levy since 2001 and currently the city has one of the lowest property tax rates of all First Class cities in the state. As a former city councilperson and county commissioner, I am a bit suprised Dick would not promote the region he represented. Motherhood and apple pie sounds better than sour grapes Dick.

    -- Posted by dberrynebraska on Thu, Dec 1, 2011, at 2:57 PM

  • You hit the sour grape right on top of the head on that one, dennis.

    -- Posted by goarmy67 on Thu, Dec 1, 2011, at 4:59 PM

  • Well Dennis, it looks like you are wrong about higher sales tax.

    Seems easier to support your viewpoint when giving false facts.

    http://www.revenue.state.ne.us/research/4-607table5.pdf

    -- Posted by bberry on Thu, Dec 1, 2011, at 8:37 PM

  • Could be worst, Chicago is 10.25%.

    I think most states you're also supposed to report the sales tax on items bought online when you file taxes.

    -- Posted by npwinder on Thu, Dec 1, 2011, at 10:50 PM

  • BB I believe the statement is TRUE. Most other First Class cities have 1.5% which is as high as McCook. That is a fact.

    -- Posted by dberrynebraska on Fri, Dec 2, 2011, at 7:40 AM

  • "What Mr. Trail does not mention is that nearly every city the size of McCook or larger charges as high or HIGHER SALES TAX."

    Nice back tracking.

    -- Posted by bberry on Fri, Dec 2, 2011, at 9:00 AM

  • The "or higher sales tax" refers to the addtional city lodging and/or occupational sales tax charged by some of the cities in Nebraska. McCook as a city does not have that tax. The county does have a small lodging tax which is much less than some other counties. Sorry for any confusion. Again I believe the orginal statement is true, no back tracking. I will end with that I am proud of our local merchants, the lower ranking of local taxes by the city and county, services offered by local governmental agancies and I believe in the voters to make wise, informed choices. 30

    -- Posted by dberrynebraska on Fri, Dec 2, 2011, at 9:51 AM

  • I guess the confusion was mine, going from retail sales tax to lodging when the topic at hand was the increase of local sales tax for the local businesses. But then again, occupational tax does not apply to QVC, catalogs, or the internet. Unless of course, you're going to be booking a room, eating out, or going to a bar.

    However, for the most part, Dick Trail is correct.

    -- Posted by bberry on Fri, Dec 2, 2011, at 10:02 AM
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