• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Sunday, May 22, 2022
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Creation of use tax proposed at Parkville

Ivan Foley by Ivan Foley
April 22, 2021
in Headlines
Creation of use tax proposed at Parkville
12
SHARES
289
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

The idea of a use tax is being proposed at Parkville.

If approved by voters, the use tax would apply to out-of-state and online purchases “and is only collected when the local sales taxes are not,” Joe Parente, city administrator, says in a report to the Parkville Board of Aldermen.

RelatedNews

FBI headed to Platte County

Salaries at Park Hill to get boost of 5.25%

Weatherby Lake man sentenced in fraud scheme

Previously, Parkville voters have defeated a use tax proposal. In 2013, a proposed use tax was narrowly defeated at Parkville, with 387 opposed to 377 in favor.

Voters in Platte City approved a use tax in the summer of 2020, with the City of Platte City winning approval by a margin of only four votes in an election conducted last June. Final tally in Platte City was 206 in favor to 202 opposed.

This week, Parkville aldermen were set to discuss the idea of putting the sales tax question on the ballot for an election in August. Discussion was set to take place at a meeting Tuesday night, after The Landmark had gone to press with this edition.

If approved by Parkville voters, the use tax will subject all retail sales–such as in-state, out-of-state and online purchases–to the same tax rate.

One estimate provided by the city shows about $185,000 per year would be generated for city coffers with the use tax.

“Without a use tax, online sellers have an advantage because it makes their products cheaper to purchase. This is particularly true when a major organization or business purchases big-ticket equipment and furnishings, such as computers, furniture, supplies, etc.,” Parente says in his written report to aldermen.

Parente says a local use tax “helps local businesses and places them on equal footing with out-of-state vendors. Local retailers in Parkville collect sales taxes, but many out-of-state retailers do not,” he said.

“Out-of-state vendors currently avoid local taxes, putting local businesses at a competitive disadvantage. A use tax would eliminate the disparity in tax rates collected by local and out-of-state sellers by imposing the same rate on all sellers,” Parente remarked.

The City of Parkville currently levies local sales taxes at two percent. The use tax would be at the same rate of two percent.

“A local use tax requires the same tax rate to be charged on purchases made from businesses located outside Missouri as charged by businesses located in the city, eliminating an inequity between in-state and out-of-state businesses that provides a competitive advantage for out-of-state businesses,” Parente said. “This proposal will not increase or change the local sales tax–it will continue to be two percent.”

The city administrator mentioned the pandemic has affected collection of some sales taxes.

“With the pandemic, online shopping has increased, including buying groceries, household supplies and other items typically purchased at a local store. These items now bought online through the internet are delivered directly to homes, bypassing local businesses,” Parente wrote in his report to aldermen.

The city administrator also remarked that the use tax would allow Parkville to capture sales taxes from out of state retailers who profit from products sold within the city.

“These out-of-state retailers send delivery trucks across our roads, which require street maintenance, and increase police calls that result in the police department responding to incidents, including the theft of delivered packages,” Parente said.

“The use tax will also preserve financial stability for government services. As more and more retail sales shift to out-of-state and online purchases, imposing the local use tax will help avoid revenue slippage from sales being diverted to online purchases and ensure the city is able to continue providing the same level of municipal services, such as street repairs, snow removal, police services and continued maintenance to our parks and facilities,” Parente says in his written report.

According to the proposed ballot language for an Aug. 3 vote, “use tax shall not be required to be paid by persons whose purchases from out-of-state vendors do not exceed in total more than $2,000 in any calendar year.”

OTHER CONTENT

Use tax would create level playing field

Rough day in court for Parkville’s legal team
Tags: electionsparkvilleplatte cityplatte countyPublic Safetytaxes
Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley, owner/publisher of the Platte County Landmark, has been on the news beat in Kansas City's Northland for 40 years. He provides weekly observations in his Between the Lines column and serves as host of Landmark Live, a light-hearted videocast featuring newsmakers in the Northland.

Related Posts

45 Years Ago–May 20, 1977

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Latham of Kansas City announce the birth of their son, Brian Nelson, on May 12, 1977. The maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Russell Quinn of Camden Point and the paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs....

Get in your lane, government Big Macs

Get in your lane, government Big Macs

by Guy Speckman
May 20, 2022
0

I listened to an interview with the United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg this week. I nearly wanted to cry at the lack of common sense approach of such a high-ranking government official. He was answering questions about the...

30 Years Ago–May 22, 1992

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

In a closed session Thursday, the Platte City Board of Aldermen voted to fire Tim Ryan, city administrator. Pearl Brown, the new mayor, declined to comment as to why Ryan was fired, and explained that "it is the policy of...

15 Years Ago–May 16, 2007

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

Disa Rice, third grade teacher at Siegrist Elementary in the Platte County R-3 School District, received the Fox 4 News Crystal Apple Award on Wednesday. Rice was surprised by the presentation, as Siegrist staff and Platte County R-3 administration kept...

Next Post
A business boom in downtown Parkville

A business boom in downtown Parkville

Popular News

  • FBI Kansas City Field Office

    FBI headed to Platte County

    188 shares
    Share 75 Tweet 47
  • Multiple PCHS students taken to hospital

    103 shares
    Share 41 Tweet 26
  • Local gas pricing pattern should be investigated

    49 shares
    Share 20 Tweet 12
  • Bee Creek Bridge replacement set

    14 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • Weatherby Lake man sentenced in fraud scheme

    12 shares
    Share 5 Tweet 3
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?