It has been reported that this City Council recently forgave the collective total of a five-figure debt to six corporations. As I understand, these monies were legally owed for the privilege of doing business in our town. These were monies owed to a city in the middle of financial crisis, a city that is in danger of falling in on itself because our local businesses cannot afford to hire new employees. Except six hotels.
When I first heard about the closed-door executive session that prevented the details of the so-called “secret hotel deal” to be disclosed to the residents of Bend, I was angry.
When in negotiation of a debt, both parties compromise. We know what the hotels got. What did the people of Bend get? When do the rest of us get to pass GO?
Then it hit me. The genius of it. Of course our city council would not give a tax-break to a few corporations and not offer something similar to the rest of the tax-paying businesses and property owners of Bend. So, if I am not being too presumptuous, I would like to suggest to the Council a few ideas on Stage Two of what I call the Bend City Tax-Relief Stimulus Plan.
ONE: Let’s really make Bend business friendly: Eliminate the $50 registration fee. What do local businesses get for the fee? Nothing.
TWO: Offer local businesses a Credit equal to up to one third of their debt in exchange for their promise to hire at least one new employee. The Credit will be paid instead to the new employee.
THREE: Offer local property owners a CREDIT equal to up to a third of their debt, in exchange for their promise to spend the money at Bend City businesses. The Credit will be paid toward their property bill.
Thank you for your consideration, and your service.”
– Ron (Rondo) Boozell, Bend
This article appears in Dec 16-22, 2010.
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SOURCE STAFF: When you click on my name under “A Better Local Stimulus Plan” it does not retrieve my profile, but instead the profile of The Source.
I have no expectation of this message being published, my goal is to simply point out that the link is incorrect.
Thanks.
QUESTION: Fine, but how do you then cover the budget hole that leaves? Cutting taxes is great and all, but those taxes also pay for services. What city services need removing?
ANSWER: Thanks for the question.
That’s where the stimulus comes in.
The benefits of the credits, or tax savings are converted
into employee wages which are spent in our community,
and of course having more employees enable
more business, better service, more product, etcetera.
The $50 business registration fee hurts the very people we want to encourage; new and aspiring entrepreneurs who need every penny to make their start.
It seems to be an automatic assumption that cutting taxes will threaten services. That is not always true. Imagine the opposite.
What would happen if we -doubled- taxes?
Easy to imagine. Employees fired. Hours of operation cut.
Businesses close. Businesspeople holding more tightly to every dollar. More people needing services.
The City of Bend, the People of Bend, will benefit as the stimulus works, as residents and guests spend more money in our town.
MAKE BEND LOCAL