Commissioners reject business license tax

With little fanfare and even less discussion, Douglas County commissioners unanimously voted down the proposed business license tax late Thursday.

"We can open this up to public comment if you want to talk us out of it," said Commission Chairman Kelly Kite.

Except for a few snickers, the room was silent. Then the gavel dropped, but commissioners were more forthcoming concerning their decisions in interviews after the meeting.

Commissioner David Brady, who has been consistent in his opposition to the tax, said he could not consider raising taxes without providing an actual benefit to the community.

"We haven't completely evaluated our expenditures," he said. "We have to reduce those before we raise taxes."

When the idea of creating a business license surfaced a couple of years ago, it had more to do with safety issues than generating revenues. By the time it came to fruition the county's budget was flagging, but the public outcry against a business tax was huge.

Considering the economic climate this is one of the worst times to implement a tax of this type, said Commissioner Doug Johnson.

"A different form of business license tax, for example one that included a web-based platform businesses and the community could take advantage of could be a good idea," Johnson said. "But it evolved into a need for money. It just didn't look right."

Commissioners Nancy McDermid and Kelly Kite both criticized a tax they said was too complicated and expensive.

"I initially asked for a tiered ordinance with $200 to $250 cap," Kite said. "I didn't want to make this too tough on business."

"I couldn't see what business would gain for that fee," McDermid said. "Nothing new was being instituted for the business community, like an economic development committee ... It just wasn't going in the right direction."

The new tax, which could have brought between $600,000 to $800,000 to Douglas County's general fund, would have cost business owners between $50 and $1,600 annually, based on the number of hours worked.

In addition to shoring up Douglas County's sagging budget, the applications submitted would provide emergency responders, like fire and sheriff personnel, vital information concerning ammunition, hazardous materials, or anything posing a threat to public safety.

A complete list of businesses could also be useful for economic development and ultimately the creation of a health department, which would provide inspections for restaurants and other health-related services, according to county staff.

Susie Vasquez can be reached at svasquez@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 211.