Gov. Kaisich Proposes Admission Tax

[PhantomTheater]

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2013/02/what_would_be_taxed_under_gov.html#incart_river_default

TAXED

Admission to cultural events

Admission to professional sports events

Admission to school and college sports events

Amusement park admission and rides

Billiard parlors

Bowling alleys

Cable television services

Circuses and fairs, admission and games

Coin-operated video games

Membership fees in private club

Pari-mutual racing events

Pinball and other mechanical amusements

I shall be commentless on this for now.

[Creed Bratton]

Oh joy...another battle.

[stashua123]

Ummmmmmmm what the heck.

[Browntggrr]

Welcome to OHIO where your FUN will be taxed to death!

[Thrill_Biscuit]

Ugh. More taxes, eh? You know, there aren't enough asterisks to mask how I feel about just about every American politican right now.

[XGatorHead 8904]

How can I say this without being political and violating the TOS? Here goes...

As anyone who has seen my Facebook page can see, I've been critical of Kasich in the past, especially in the area of school funding. Our school district was hit hard when the tangible personal property tax was done away with (which my district depended on heavily) in the name of attracting new industry to the state. Then, a few days ago, his proposed changes to school funding were announced, and I highly approved of them. In fact, last night Channel 19 interviewed the superintendent of our district, who said the changes would benefit the district greatly (although not making up totally for the losses we incurred a few years ago).

And now this. I was there, along with other KIC members, for the Mason City Council meeting in which their proposed admission tax was voted down. I'm not going to rehash all the negative consequences of an admission tax... you can search for that discussion on this site yourself. Anyone want to make a trip to Coumbus?

(And a tax on coin operated video games & pinball machines? Seriously?)

[Hendrick]

Coin-operated video games

Sorry kids, Pacman is now 27¢ to play.

[malem]

Anyone want to make a trip to Coumbus?

I'd venture to say that Kasich's office fielded an angry phone call from Sandusky this morning.

[Maverick00]

Admission to school sports events? They're really going to tax us when we pay $3 to go to a high school football game?

[Voicetek]

How in the world do you tax a coin operated video game? Instead of inserting 25 cents, do you put in your quarter, a couple of pennies and possibly a half penny too? That's kind of ridiculous in my opinion!

[CedarPointer]

Genius.

[malem]

How in the world do you tax a coin operated video game? Instead of inserting 25 cents, do you put in your quarter, a couple of pennies and possibly a half penny too? That's kind of ridiculous in my opinion!

It would presumably work like it does now with vending machines, where sales tax is included in the posted price. The appropriate percentage of sales would simply be remitted to the state, and prices may or may not be adjusted upwards to compensate.

By the way, it's mentioned that sales tax rates would go down to partially offset the expanded tax. I'm quite certain that counties would be quick to raise them back up.

[TheCrypt]

Would this mean season passholders need to pay a tax to enter the park on every visits, or would it be an added tax to the upfront pass fee?

Either option I am not a fan of.

[Snowman]

Pinball....The sign on the arcade near Maverick's entrance Reads, "Pinball". We asked the attendant where the pinball machines were, he said, "In the antique section up near the entrance". Told him that the sign was false advertising. He looked at me like I was the craziest old fart he'd crossed paths with in a month.

Kasich better leave my pinballs alone!!

[XGatorHead 8904]

^ We had lots of fun in the "antique" section of CP's arcade last year. We loved playing all those old mechanical games and the pinball machines!

[CoasterGeek101]

Son of a monkey......... you've gotta be kidding me...........

[PhantomTheater]

Pinball....The sign on the arcade near Maverick's entrance Reads, "Pinball". We asked the attendant where the pinball machines were, he said, "In the antique section up near the entrance". Told him that the sign was false advertising. He looked at me like I was the craziest old fart he'd crossed paths with in a month.

Kasich better leave my pinballs alone!!

The Jitney arcade also advertises a Derby game, which is not in there either.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

I also read besides the sales tax rate being lowered slightly, the state income tax rate would also be reduced. As for sales taxes on admission prices and season pass, it will say it includes all taxes. As for the price to play pinball machines, it would be rounded up to the next whole nickel or dime. If with tax the price is 27.75 cents, it would be rounded up to .30 cents. I guess they are wanting to raise revenues without increasing the state income tax rate. Some states like Texas and Florida have no state income tax and rely on revenues from sales taxes. Some states charge taxes on food items you buy while some don't. There have been calls for Congress to do away with the federal income tax and replace it with either a flat tax that al employees pay or have a national sales tax (not a VAT). So if the tax did go in effect today, the price you paid for the season pass will not change for you nor pay the tax at the gate. But new passes sold or renewed is a different story. The tax would be passed along, like every tax that we pay. But if enough people complain, some of the items that will be taxed (like admission) might change.

[Hendrick]

Admission to school sports events? They're really going to tax us when we pay $3 to go to a high school football game?

At my high school, football games were $8.00 for adults!

[Maverick00]

Well my highschool football team isn't very good

[coasterfanatic83]

It says tax on admission and rides. Does that mean it will cost 10 cents to ride Diamondback?

[TheBEASTunchained]

I'm not sure I would be okay at all with this type of thing......Good thing that KK might re-open....... And like coasterfanatic said, 10 cents to ride The Beast??

[medford]

Would this mean season passholders need to pay a tax to enter the park on every visits, or would it be an added tax to the upfront pass fee?

Either option I am not a fan of.

You'd pay the Tax up front, based upon the value (ie cost) of the season pass, most likely.

I haven't read enough into this yet to say if I'm for this or against this, but keep in mind part of the increase in areas of taxation is a lowering in income taxes. Does it all come out even in the wash? I don't know, like I said I haven't read into it enough yet, but I'm assuming this is a focus to push the tax base away from wage earners and coporations and into the arms of consumers, similar to the flat tax of KI-Org-Employee mentioned above. If the overall tax base is held constant, but the areas where taxes are collected are shifted, it could be an overall positive for somebody that is tight with their money, somebody who doesn't spend much and saves a lot, on the flip side, it might be a negative for somebody who consumes (though whatever purchases) all or more than they earn. As an added bonus (or perhaps negative depending on how you earn your money) it increases the ability of the state to gather taxes from people earning money "off the books" when those people spend the money they've earned. That money could come from highly illegal activities like cooking meth, selling weed, etc.. or from people not reporting all of their tips from a serving job or doing "side work" for cash in plumbing, electrical, home repair, etc....

Cedair Fair may or may not be against it, if it lowers their coroporate tax rate beyond whatever loss in ticket revenue from the increase in park admission tax, it would be a plus for the chain.

[medford]

It says tax on admission and rides. Does that mean it will cost 10 cents to ride Diamondback?

Only if you paid money beyond the park admission each time you rode Diamondback. Probably means the park would have to pay a portion of the revenue generated on extreme flyer each time a "ride" is purchased. I'll assume the admission and rides is there for state fairs and whatnot where you pay for each ride rather than a straight admission.

[shark6495]

Im not a fan of tax at the bowling alley....

[IBEW_Sparky]

So, other than the fact this clown is just another piece of **** puketician like all the others in this Country, could someone please explain to me the point of adding an admissions tax, while LOWERING sales tax and state income tax? Would it not make more sense to leave it as is?? The only reason I can see for this jacka$$es proposal, is to screw people like me from out of state. Well, KaSUCKich, I have news for ya pal, Ive got parks I can go to in Indiana and Missouri just as easily as I can go to the ones in Ohio.

[malem]

^ The point of lowering the sales tax and the income tax is to partially offset the broadening of the sales tax. In effect, part of the tax burden on individuals and businesses is shifted to the consumption of services. Politically, it allows Kasich to raise taxes while technically "lowering" them.

Regardless, applying the sales tax to amusement park gate admissions is a spectacularly bad idea. Not only does it put Ohio parks at a competitive disadvantage in the region, but it potentially hurts the ancillary tax revenue from out-of-state tourist spending and from the associated jobs.

[TheCrypt]

Adding an admission tax and lowering sales tax could be good, right? I mean, you pay a slightly larger fee upfront, but you pay less for park merchandise and food. Most visitors use their pass more than once every summer, so the money lost during the admissions tax will be made up by lower park spending.

..in theory, anyways.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

Do you ever stay in a hotel or motel? There is a tax charged for each night you stay. That is how the pay for stadiums and such. Let the people that come from out of the area pay. You will see most cities,states, counties,and such enacting taxes like this. Look at all the taxes they add onto gasoline, beer,liquor,wine, tobacco, and such. Go to the movies and the price of admission includes taxes. They are going this route rather than increasing peoples income taxes. Florida does not have a state income tax and states like them rely on income derived fro sales taxes or like Nevada, from tax on gambling. As for the sales tax on season passes and admission to Kings Island, it is added on to the price that you pay, just like when you buy something. Example if admission is $34.99, it is plus taxes. Same with the season pass. If you already bought it, it is from when the tax in effect at when it was purchased and not retroactive. The charge for a ride that is an up charge would be the price plus tax. Unless the park eats the tax and or increase the price of items in the park. Either way, the price is always passed along to the consumer. Whenever government increases the corporate income taxes to sock it to those filthy rich corporations, they will always add it in the price of their products and or service as a cost of doing business. You can count on this list of items being taxed to be revised due to public input.

[Jr for Birdy]

Whats next,a right to work state? I like to call it,lets slowly kill the middle class proposal. Better start learning Spanish people!