Editor,
Regardless of how Eureka votes to either keep the CAPC tax or to discontinue it we still need to support our tourist industry. We can’t invite guests while we have a failing wastewater system, difficult to navigate sidewalks, and a dearth of clean assessable restrooms.
Currently, the city and its residents have to pay for the expensive upgrades to our failing wastewater treatment system. We 2200 residents and businesses are paying to maintain and upgrade a sewer system that serves not only the residents but many thousands of visitors a year.
The rules for our 3% CAPC tax on hotels, bars and restaurants does not allow spending on infrastructure. We need to encourage city hall to find a way to continue to support the tourist industry and let our visitors share in our city’s upkeep.
Wouldn’t it be great if we had a CAPC-type ordinance that taxed the same businesses but with locally created rules that would also allow for a portion of these funds to help pay for our infrastructure? Speaking with a CAPC commissioner I was told that the CAPC has one million dollars in the bank. There are enough funds coming in to both support tourism and infrastructure if only our city leaders can find a way to restructure a tax on tourism to help us to continue hosting visitors.
Gwen Bennett