Occupation tax
Dear Editor,
Several months ago, I noticed a line item under "Details of Your Home Phone Charges" on my telephone bill. It is shown as "City Occupation at 3%."
I put the question to Senator Christensen regarding the above tax and he kindly got back to me with some answers.
According to State Statute 14-109 "The City Council shall have power to raise revenue by levying and collecting a tax on any occupation or business within the limits of the city and regulate the same by ordinance." It would be through the City Council and mayor that you would have to get the tax changed, they would have to change the rate in the McCook city ordinance.
Statute 86-157 is pro rata billing of local tax statute, which indicates that the municipality or local government imposes the tax or fee on the company and then the customers receiving service are billed pro rata by the telecommunications company, within their territorial limits.
Through research on this issue of an occupation tax, it seems that Sen. Pirsch introduced a study in 2009 that examined the occupation taxes imposed on wireless telecommunication services and how to make it affordable for Nebraskans statewide, but it was deferred.
Now fellow residents, look a little closer at the taxes we pay in McCook. We pay a 7 percent sales tax, we pay property taxes (I do not have percentages for them), and now our fine city wants to increase our sewer rates.
Who, in their right mind, would want to move to McCook?
Kathleen Bills,
McCook