Comments on: Our Burien City Council Online Candidate Forum – Position #1: Sue Blazak vs Jack Block, Jr. http://www.b-townblog.com/2009/10/27/our-burien-city-council-online-candidate-forum-%e2%80%93-position-1-sue-blazak-vs-jack-block-jr/ Daily Burien News, Events, Entertainment, Music, Videos & More Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:20:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chester http://www.b-townblog.com/2009/10/27/our-burien-city-council-online-candidate-forum-%e2%80%93-position-1-sue-blazak-vs-jack-block-jr/comment-page-1/#comment-18365 Chester Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:37:17 +0000 http://www.b-townblog.com/?p=11888#comment-18365 It's interesting that an alcoholic would target an industry that he will not support. So no .25 tax for Jack. Maybe if the voters knew more about the city B&O tax in Burien they would see that this is not a hindrance to businesses moving or staying here. Let's do some simple math. Business A - $100,000 of gross revenue would pay the following B&O tax in: Burien - .0005 = $50.00 Seattle - .00415 = $415.00 Washington State - .015 = $1500.00 I don't believe targeting bars/restaurants and multi unit landowners is fair to those business owners. How about we target union members and make them pay higher taxes. Don' t think Jack would vote for that. It’s interesting that an alcoholic would target an industry that he will not support. So no .25 tax for Jack. Maybe if the voters knew more about the city B&O tax in Burien they would see that this is not a hindrance to businesses moving or staying here. Let’s do some simple math.

Business A – $100,000 of gross revenue would pay the following B&O tax in:

Burien – .0005 = $50.00
Seattle – .00415 = $415.00
Washington State – .015 = $1500.00

I don’t believe targeting bars/restaurants and multi unit landowners is fair to those business owners. How about we target union members and make them pay higher taxes. Don’ t think Jack would vote for that.

]]> By: Jack Block Jr. http://www.b-townblog.com/2009/10/27/our-burien-city-council-online-candidate-forum-%e2%80%93-position-1-sue-blazak-vs-jack-block-jr/comment-page-1/#comment-18363 Jack Block Jr. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:14:48 +0000 http://www.b-townblog.com/?p=11888#comment-18363 I don't think spending an extra quarter is going to stop anyone from purchasing a $6.00 mixed drink or a $4.00 glass of wine. Is an extra fifty cents going to make that huge a difference on a $40.00 restaurant bill that people will chose to patronize Marv's Broiler or spend an extra $5.00 in gas to go down to Southcenter? Consider for a moment the burden the Utility Tax and the Business and Occupation Tax imposes on our small business owners. Both of these levys are collected regardless of whether or not a business is profitable. Eliminating both of these taxes would provide immediate relief and serve as an incentive towards opening a new business. The restaurant business is one of low profit margins and high costs. Anything that lowers the bottom line and increases profit will act as a stimulus. And what of the homeowner struggling to hang on to their home in the face of our current recession? Do we continue to tax their heat and light or do we look for alternatives that are fairer and less regressive? I don’t think spending an extra quarter is going to stop anyone from purchasing a $6.00 mixed drink or a $4.00 glass of wine. Is an extra fifty cents going to make that huge a difference on a $40.00 restaurant bill that people will chose to patronize Marv’s Broiler or spend an extra $5.00 in gas to go down to Southcenter?

Consider for a moment the burden the Utility Tax and the Business and Occupation Tax imposes on our small business owners. Both of these levys are collected regardless of whether or not a business is profitable. Eliminating both of these taxes would provide immediate relief and serve as an incentive towards opening a new business. The restaurant business is one of low profit margins and high costs. Anything that lowers the bottom line and increases profit will act as a stimulus.

And what of the homeowner struggling to hang on to their home in the face of our current recession? Do we continue to tax their heat and light or do we look for alternatives that are fairer and less regressive?

]]> By: Julie Dow http://www.b-townblog.com/2009/10/27/our-burien-city-council-online-candidate-forum-%e2%80%93-position-1-sue-blazak-vs-jack-block-jr/comment-page-1/#comment-18351 Julie Dow Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:01:50 +0000 http://www.b-townblog.com/?p=11888#comment-18351 Block wants to tax restaurant customers .25 cents per drink?!!!! Wow. How to kill a restaurant scene, before it really starts, in one easy step! Now that's economic development. Block wants to tax restaurant customers .25 cents per drink?!!!! Wow. How to kill a restaurant scene, before it really starts, in one easy step! Now that’s economic development.

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