Selectmen Workshop - note the local option meals tax. Taxing local mom and pop small business even more, now that is a plan to attract more small business to Tempeton.
Templeton Board of Selectmen Workshop Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton Monday, December 4, 2017, 6:30 p.m. Agenda 1. Call the Meeting to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Templeton EDC RE: Recommendation to Pursue MassDevelopment Grant for Civil Engineering Services Related to Industrial Park Development 4. MRPC RE: Pursuit of Community Development Block Grant Funds in FY’18 (Grant Proposal Due on March 2, 2018) and Beyond 5. Fall TM Lessons Learned 6. Proposed Amendment of Financial Management Policies 7. Employee & Volunteer Recognition Program (E.Pollitt) 8. Lapel Pin Policy (J.Caplis) 9. Proposed Informational Meetings RE: Local Option Meals Tax (E.Pollitt) 10. Disposal of Baldwinville Elementary School 11. Lease of Templeton Center Elementary School 12. Adjournment The listing of Agenda items is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent it is permitted by law. THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Lease of Templeton Center School ? Disposal of Baldwinville Elementary School ? They had better hope they have something to move into first ! Where is the money coming from to remove Baldwinville E.S. ?? Money trees have all dried up ! Killed by bad management over time. How long does it take to grow another one ? Longer than the town has because they have failed to take the steps that are needed to get a bond rating. Could have started two years ago, but no !! Why would the BOS do anything in a responsible way ? Just asking...
ReplyDeleteJust a thought, why hurt the very few businesses that we have who serve food, by making them charge a meals tax ? I know people who would avoid going to a place that charges more. Would it hurt the wait staff ? Less for them in tips ? It sure is to bad we don't have that mall in town. Just think, revenue from taxes, jobs for people who want to work. Not in my back yard means the whole tax bill is on the people who own property. That load is not getting smaller anytime soon, so Merry Christmas. A little bird told me tax bills will be in your mail box before Santa comes. Ho Ho Ho !
ReplyDeleteIn the documentation for the upcoming BOS meeting Eric created a outline of what the meals tax would mean for local eateries. It's worth the read for those interested. I beleive it amounts to 38 cents on a $50 meal.
ReplyDeleteBob - 38 cents that you may as well flush down the toilet. This board is allergic to careful spending. Some will avoid Templeton restaurants on principle. As in giving the finger to the BOS.
ReplyDelete38 cents on a 50.00 meal ? Sounds like more work for little gain, especially for the restaurant owners. Gee a nice restaurant is coming into the "mall in Athol.". Charging meals tax would accomplish something if ia place of that size was in Templeton. It is ok to cry in your beer, we loose again.
DeleteSorry, but nobody is going to avoid a restaurant because of a small tax. If they are worried about those pennies they should not be eating out.
ReplyDeleteThe bigger problem is how the town leaders, ( I threw up in my mouth just saying those words), will squander the money
Not true. There are no great dining places in Templeton. It's not a big sacrifice. And there is great satisfaction in flipping TBOS the bird. It has nothing to do with worry about a few pennies. It's like the Boston Tea Party. It's thievery. Plus, I doubt that the cost is solely the tax paid. It's also calculating, collecting, accounting and paying the tax. Everything isn't so simple.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:31 AM is right about one thing. Our leaders, will more than likely, think they will collect twice the real revenue out of this move. Maybe we will have to hire an extra person to deal with the extra work ! Hee Hee. The real extra work comes to the business owner that has to keep track of another set of numbers, and pay their accountant to file more forms. I still think this is just a big waste of time. More spin for the buck. The more things change the more they stay the same. My opinion as a taxpayer and homeowner in this poor Town of Templeton.
DeleteThe local meals tax is just another line on the form on which the MA sales tax on meals is filed. Most businesses are required to file electronically on WebFile for Business. It might take 1 minute or less to report the local meals tax. The local meals tax is collected by the state and paid back to the town quarterly. Vendors MAY list the two taxes separately OR combined as 7% on receipts, as long as they label the combined line as such. VERY LITTLE extra work for a business. I think this is a great way to help fund capital expenditures. Information on meals taxes can be found on the Mass DOR site. - Kathy K.
DeleteThe one nice thing about this type of income is that it is derived from a mix of town and out of town people.
ReplyDeleteIf we could direct these funds towards Capital expenditures or some pocket so as not to just increase general fund.
Yah, like that will happen !
DeleteI agree, Bob M - Kathy K.
DeleteLapel Pin Policy????? So we know who who the town employees are???? We already pay for uniforms for Highway/Sewer so I think we can identify them. If someone is at town hall and sitting behind a desk chances are the are an employee. This is what Caplis is spending his time on?
ReplyDeleteLapel pins so you can thank Town Employees for feeding at the public trough.
ReplyDeletePeople should realize that public sector workers are not special
they are special. they are over paid and under worked
ReplyDelete