As Yuma’s next election day nears, we continue to hear about the proposed 25% increase in the hospitality tax. As is usual there has been quite a bit of misinformation generated by those with a vested interest in passing the proposition.

It has been said that this tax is aimed at out of towners who are using up Yuma’s resources without paying taxes, with emphasis on those living in the foothills. This is quite ridiculous. Most people that live or visit in the Foothills patronize establishments in the Foothills and do not drive 20 miles to grab a bite to eat or have a drink. Who are the primary patrons of Yuma’s restaurants? You guessed it!  The majority of City of Yuma restaurant customers are City of Yuma residents. So who will pay the majority of the taxes levied on restaurant patrons? Unquestionably the answer is, the residents of the City of Yuma.

While we are at it, lets examine the whole idea that county residents are not paying their fair share to support City facilities. I reject the notion that county residents are using City facilities to the extent that they should be targeted with special taxes.  As it is, every time a county resident comes to town to purchase a product not available elsewhere they pay Yuma sales tax on their purchases. They also are paying the existing 2% tax if they eat out while they are here. The revenues generated from taxing these purchases more than make up for the costs the city may incur from their visiting the park while they are here.

Next we have to doom and gloom faction who are advising the City will have to cutback services if the 25% tax increase is not passed. Once again Yuma’s taxpayers are being fed a load of manure. If proposition 100 fails, then the hospitality tax will continue until 2009 at the current 2% rate. This gives plenty of time for an acceptable proposition to be put before the voters.  So for service levels to be cut, that would require that funding be diverted from existing uses to other projects. Any cutbacks in service levels if the proposition fails will be the result of retribution by those officials offended that the taxpayers did not fall for their lies!

One last thing to consider is the benefits seen by taxpayers from the existing hospitality tax. What benefit has the convention center been to you? How about Desert Sun Stadium? These facilities have been money wasters since their inception. Now they want to raise the tax by 25% in order to fund more white elephants such as the proposed events arena. Yuma voters need to examine who has benefited from these taxes to date. If the answer is “not me”, why would you vote for a 25% tax increase.