House passes bill Tuesday; referendum to be held in Columbia
Restaurant and hotel managers expressed support in interviews this week for a 3 percent sales tax on dining and lodging in Columbia to be used for recreation and tourism.
Among diners, some expressed favor for supporting youth projects but also concerns about the costs.
The House approved Senate Bill 3118 in a 97-6 vote Tuesday, and it is now awaiting Gov. Phil Bryant’s signature. It will go to a referendum that requires 60 percent approval from Columbia voters. Mayor Justin McKenzie said last week the funds would be used to fund a sportsplex, along with improving city parks.
The C-P interviewed people, who were selected at random, this week to gauge their opinions.
“We need new stuff for the kids around here like a play area. I’m a bit iffy, though, because we’re not making enough around here,” Kyra Toney said.
Magnolia Inn & Suites General Manager Sharon Russell said she would be for it after witnessing what it has done for other communities.
“I actually started my hospitality career at the Microtel in Hattiesburg, so I’ve always known of a hospitality tax. I was kind of surprised that we didn’t have that here in Marion County. But yeah, I would be for it,” she said.
Russell added that she gets quarterly reports from the Marion County Development Partnership that detail what other cities in Mississippi receive from similar taxes and finds it remarkable that a place like Columbia that needs revenue doesn’t have one.
“Most of the people that pay are not living here. It’s tourists that pay it, and they pay it everywhere else they go. There’s very few places that don’t have any type of hospitality tax,” she said. “It’s like found money.”
Steve Waldrop, who lives in Sumrall but works and dines in Columbia, said taxes are going up everywhere and are necessary for progress.
“I’m all in favor of it. A lot of people are going to say because there’s not a lot here (for tourism) that the taxes are going to fall on the local people, but if they get a sportsplex built here there will be a lot of out-of-towners,” he said. “Then there will be more hotels built here and everything else.”
Waldrop has children and grandchildren who have played youth sports in Hattiesburg for a long time, and he said he has witnessed all of the growth that has taken place with new hotels and restaurants that were opened near sports complexes. To him, it’s a small price to pay for the long-term results.
“We eat out every day anyway, and a few more pennies aren’t going to hurt us,” he said. “It’s like with gas. I buy the good gas, and it’s a couple more dollars per tank, but my car runs good all the time. You have to pay the price for results.”
Keeping children active and out of trouble through a new sportsplex is a common theme. Azteca Mexican Restaurant co-owner Jose Garcia said he absolutely thinks it would be a good thing.
“That’s what they’re doing in Laurel. Somebody told me they’re charging 9 percent (sales tax), and the extra 2 percent is supposed to be for new parks. It’s good because there will be more activities for more people to come in town,” he said.
Subway manager Shannon Stroud agreed with Garcia and said Columbia needs to keep its money in house.
“Personally I’m all for it, and I don’t think it would change my business honestly. The youth need more to do here. I’m not from here, but if I had children here I would be like, ‘Oh my, what are we going to do?’” she said. “You have to go to another town to spend money. I think it would be incredible. It would be a physical activity that could encourage children to get out and do stuff together.”
Garcia and Stroud both said that while it may have an initial impact if passed, it wouldn’t stop the community from dining out over time.
“I don’t think it would affect too much,” Garcia said. “Most of the customers have a little card for 10 percent off. But sometimes when people have to pay extra, they start complaining a lot. But once the people start knowing what they are paying for, I think it will be OK. The first couple of times, though, it’s going to be bad.”
“Half of the people that eat here, eat here every day,” Stroud said. “The first thing they are going to say is, ‘Oh, you went up on your prices,’ if that tax gets approved.”
But increasing taxes still remains a concern for some.
“It would be a yes and a no because we don’t need sales taxes to go up because we’re not making enough, but it would be good to keep kids out of trouble if we had more stuff to keep kids active,” Chante Green said.
Then there are those who think it would be best not to vote at all because they couldn’t decide.
“I might be for it because we have kids. But 3 percent, that’s a big increase. Right now it’s 7 percent and it would be 10 percent; that’s higher than Louisiana,” Shaunda Walker said. “I probably won’t even vote at all because I don’t know.”
“We eat out a lot, but I probably won’t vote at all and I vote regularly,” Blake Lott added.
The Senate approved SB 3118 on March 21, and the House passed it Tuesday. Once signed by the governor, a referendum will be scheduled for later this year.
Pictured Above: Chante Green, left, and Kyra Toney eat lunch at Azteca Monday. They said they want to see improvements to youth activities but are wary of rising taxes. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
