Kingsport, Tennessee BMA refuses to rescind Regional Sales Tax after it had served it’s purpose
Alderman Marsh presented a resolution at the October 21, 2008 Kingsport Board of Mayors and Aldermen to eliminate the quarter percent sales tax that voters approved in 1992 to fund the Meadowview Convention Center. The quarter percent regional sales tax had served it’s purpose and the convention center debt was paid off in 2008.
The resolution was to use a portion of the regional sales tax to reduce the property tax rate for citizens. The citizens of Kingsport could have received a reduction in their city property tax, but the resolution was quickly voted down by the “gang of five”. (Mayor Dennis Phillips, Vice Mayor Mallicote, and Aldermen Munsey, Joh, Shupe) See Kingsport Times-News article “Marsh urges scuttling MeadowView expansion
The decision of the “gang of five” showed their true colors by voting against the citizens for a property tax refund and instead voting for special interest groups.
Alderman Shull and Marsh have in the past tried to discuss the future of the regional sales tax, but Mayor Phillips would always table the discussion. It is my feeling that Mayor Phillips had no intention of ending the regional sales tax and had plans to use it for MeadowView Convention Center expansion.
The October 21, 2008 BMA meeting got a little heated with Vice Mayor Ben Mallicote going on the attack, Alderman Joh stated that Aldermen Shull and Marsh were just sore losers. Mayor Phillips stated that without MeadowView the city would have to raise taxes. He also made a statement that MeadowView is needed to keep from reducing police and fire protection and doing trash pick-up every two weeks. Mr. Mayor, stop the spin, it may be news to you, the convention center has been operating at a loss and the taxpayers are in fact keeping the convention center in business. The voters of Kingsport are smarter than you think, Mayor Phillips.
Maybe, I will in the future do a post about the wasteful spending in the City of Kingsport by Mayor Phillips and his gang.
Famous Quotes from the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen
Mayor Dennis Phillips – ‘We need MeadowView to keep from reducing fire, police protection, and reducing trash pick-up to every two weeks.” October 21, 2008
Mayor Dennis Phillips –“We need to annex so we don’t have to raise taxes” February 5, 2008
Alderman Munsey – “We need to do the MeadowView expansion to keep from raising taxes” September 15, 2008
Alderman Munsey – Debt is neither good or bad,” June 3, 2008
Vice Mayor Mallicote – “I do not believe all of the doom and gloom about the economy”. June 3, 2008
Mayor Dennis Phillips – “If the taxpayers wanted the city to cut the spending, then we could collect garbage every other week” June 3, 2008
Mayor Dennis Phillips – “If there were no money to spend, then you would not need politicians” October, 2007
On September 16, 2008, the Kingsport, Tennessee Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to spend $819,000 for an architect to design the $15 million expansion at the Meadowview Conference Resort and Convent Center. This was brought quickly to a vote without much detailed discussion or input from the public. There were discussions on using the regional sales tax to fund the convention center expansion.
Again, this vote was another example of railroading a vote. Alderman Marsh expressed concern that this was voted on within 24 hours and that there had not been ample time to study the the financial numbers. He also asked what is in it for the citizens of Kingsport. He said that this is more for the special interests of certain people. He attempted to defer the vote to the latter part of October, but Alderman Marsh’s and Alderman Shull’s votes were not enough to postpone the vote.
Simply put, this is an example of the City of Kingsport catering to special interest groups and there seems to be no value to the citizens of Kingsport. See posts Kingsport, Tennessee incestuous relationship with special interest groups, Convention Center issues plague cities, and More hissy fits in Kingsport, Tennessee Board of Mayor and Aldermen for more background information.
What are you views on the action of the BMA to not give back to the taxpayers the regional sales tax? Leave a comment.