By Sarah Richardson
The Lewisburg City Council met in a Special Session on Tuesday, Nov. 8 to hold the first reading of Ordinance 313 and 315. Ordinance 313 involves reducing the business and occupation (B&O) tax as part of a plan to implement a municipal use tax, with Ordinance 315 being the implementation of that sales and use tax.
According to the Municipal Home Rule Program regulations, in order to raise this one percent tax, the B&O tax must be lowered by one percent.
City officials have stated at previous meetings that these municipal use tax monies will be directly used for a variety of items including city maintenance, improvements, and daily operations. City Manager Misty Hill said an estimated $1,891,309.71 would have been generated in just the last fiscal year if this tax was in place. Only a small handful of similarly-sized cities in the state do not implement a one percent sales tax.
Council voted to approve both of these ordinances on the first reading. A second reading and public hearing for both ordinances will be held at the Nov. 15 City Council meeting at City Hall. The public is welcome to attend.