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Wednesday, April 02, 2008

County Loses $1,000,000.00 In Tax Revenue


During yesterday's County Council Work Session, Joe Halloway made mention that the County lost $1,000,000.00 worth of taxable revenue because of sales dropping so low. Considering they're so early into their fiscal year, this is a major impact towards the outlook of economical growth in Wicomico County for the year.

This is one reason why they could clearly see the impact the Liquor Dispensary System is hurting the Bar/Restaurant business. Every little bit helps, they claimed.

One Council Member asked, how is the smoking ban affecting you? They replied, it's not. It's actually helped our businesses. OK, cut the crap! I'm confident that's a direct quote from the Maryland Restaurant Association. The reason I say that is, while they were complaining about business dropping so much, they want to buy direct from the Liquor Distributors so they can save more money. Which is it? Business is either up, or it's not. So far as I can tell, business is down, period.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

What about the thousands of dollars the County lost because of the Ray Lewis and gang fiasco?
Regarding the bars no longer alowing smoking, I actually see more people enjoying dinner where all the Smokers used to sit and puff away. Its a pleasure now to eat without the smell of nicotine.
Back to Lewis...why is he not made the pay back what he stole from the County, along with his cronies!

Anonymous said...

DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE HAS STOLEN EXACTLY? IM SURE IF THE COUNTY WOULD TELL HIM HE WOULD WRIGHT THEM A CHECK.

Anonymous said...

When times are low and money is tight there is one business that always profits; booze. As any bar owner who has been in business for over 20 years.

Anonymous said...

Hey Joe, Isn't the fiscal year for Salibury from July 1 to June 30?

Just wondering.

joe albero said...

There's a BIG difference between the County and City.

Anonymous said...

County's fiscal year is also 7/1 to 6/30.

Maybe the revenue stats were from earlier in the year?

The "so early in the year comment" is confusing.

Anonymous said...

There is a lot of fiction in the "information" about the effects of smoking bans on bars and restaurants.

Ireland banned smoking, and one year later pubs are going out of business fast. Literally. In Ireland. Think about that.

I am just a sample of one, and no more. But as a smoker I've not gone to a bar or restaurant since the ban except for business functions. Since 15% - 20% of the population smokes I doubt I'm the only one.

I like to cook and frankly am a better cook than most of the chefs in town. When you can go out you get lazy and don't cook as much. But with the ban I have just elected to stay home and do what I enjoy doing. So I am dining in higher style, with better service, at a cheaper price, and don't have to worry about drinking that extra glass of wine. And smoke as I see fit.

My only thanks to the Nanny State is that it caused me to cease being lazy and go out on a whim. Other than that, they can kiss my southern hind parts.

Anonymous said...

Ray Lewis will receive a big break as long as he keeps his mouth shut and does not indicate other people involved who might be City and County officials.It's water over the dam and I'm ready for the next incident in Payton Place. Something every week happens here.

Anonymous said...

Really doesn't matter if business is up or down. It's about doing away with government run liquor sales that effect local businesses.

Tim Chaney said...

All business across the board are down, for most anyway. It's hard to say what effect the smoking ban has on restaurants and bars when all businesses are down in a sinking economy and a devalued Dollar. It may take a while to figure out the true impact of that legislation.

Anonymous said...

If smoking bans were good for business, then bars and restaurants would have done it on their own. No law would be necessary.

Your property rights ... the rights to use your own property ... have been eroded away to nothing over a period of 50 years or so.

Now your personal rights are being eroded at a rapid pace.

Wake up.

The Nanny State that seeks to control everything you "own" and everything you do has already won by default, with no opposition.

They call that progress.

Daddio said...

I suppose that the recent sales tax increases had a lot to do with this, coupled with the downturn in the economy.

Many folks I know are driving to Delaware to spend their shopping dollars as a practical protest to this recent outrage.

It happens all the time: Raise tax rates, overall revenues fall.

This is due to the dynamic effect of driving the customers away to other areas that assess lower tax rates. The problem is that the politicians view tax rates and revenues as static.

I dare say that a portion of the economic downturn and lower sales in Maryland can be directly blamed on the money-hungry raise taxes-and-spend varmits from Annapolis.

Anonymous said...

O'Governor raised taxes to reduce the deficit, then turns around and gives his cronies a big raise. It's going to be long four years for Maryland taxpayers.

Makes you wish Glendenning was back in office, now that is bad.

Anonymous said...

The last home assessments drove many people completely out of the state. Sell at it's peak and get the hell out of Dodge.