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Baseball is dead, but admissions tax may not be

Some city councilors may back eventually collecting it, using funds elsewhere

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The Clark County Board of Commissioners killed a proposed 5 percent admissions tax for a baseball and multiuse stadium Tuesday. But that doesn’t mean the tax is off the table, at least within Vancouver’s city limits.

By Andrea Damewood
Columbian Staff Reporter

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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A proposed 5 percent admissions tax for a baseball and multiuse stadium died Tuesday at the hands of the Clark County Board of Commissioners. But that doesn’t mean the tax is off the table, at least within Vancouver’s city limits.
When Commissioner Marc Boldt — the swing vote in Tuesday’s decision against the tax — listed his reasons for not supporting it, he included the opposition of five of the seven Vancouver City councilors.
But several of those city councilors may not be against collecting the tax and using that money elsewhere, despite their distaste for using that money to build a baseball stadium at Clark College.
A county analysis showed Vancouver can raise $500,000 a year by taxing ticket sales on movie theaters and golf courses within city limits; that figure could be even higher if the city includes other entertainment venues. The county’s proposal did promise to divert $8.2 million from the countywide tax to the city over 20 years, but Councilor Bart Hansen said it still wasn’t enough.
“The admissions tax, in my opinion, needs to be used for core services,” Hansen said Wednesday.
Not that he’s proposing it right now. But, as the city crafts its 2013-
2014 budget next year, he said that money needs to be kept in mind.
“It’s a tool in the tool box,” Hansen said. “If we get to the very end of budget discussions and we’re looking at closing a fire station or we’re looking at laying off public safety employees, I will utilize this tax if necessary.”
Councilor Pat Campbell said last week that he felt much the same way — that the tax should be reserved for other emergency needs.
Campbell suggested it be used for basic maintenance of city roads, buildings and other properties. Bill Turlay, who won November’s election to replace Campbell, agreed.
“There are other things I think we could put that money toward, if we put it toward anything,” Turlay said.
But Councilor Jeanne Stewart said that for her, any admissions tax is a strong no in today’s economic climate.
“Pretty much, I’m just a ‘No’ on that, pretty well into the foreseeable future,” Stewart said. “I’m not interested in looking for and soliciting and imposing specialized taxes. People are really worried about how to pay their bills already.”