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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

City Finally, a Bill to Repeal a Tax on Dancing Gets a Hearing

Posted by Cienna Madrid on Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 1:24 PM

Bar owners and music lovers who've been protesting an obscure 9.5 percent ticket sales tax on events that promote will finally get their day in Olympia: SB 5613, which would clarify that sales tax should not be applied to "the opportunity to dance provided by an establishment in exchange for a cover charge" finally has a hearing scheduled for this Thursday, February 21 at 3 p.m.

Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon's office has confirmed that he's sponsoring a companion to SB 5613 (it hasn't dropped yet), which may give nightlife advocates more time to rally their base and plead their case before legislators.

For what it's worth: This tax is in addition to the business and occupation taxes that the venues already pay on their gross receipts.

Meanwhile, Seattle's own Century Ballroom is hosting a fundraiser this Saturday, February 23 to celebrate its 16th birthday and help pay off the $92,000 the Department of Revenue says they owe thanks to this obscure tax (they talked the fines down from $250,000). "With the threat of this looming for almost two years, we have been altering our programming and adjusting prices while negotiating with the State," reads an explanatory email about the event. "Unfortunately, our efforts have fallen far short of raising the required funds."

The event will feature handsome, fancily-dressed people ("tiaras always a plus!"), 16 styles of dance, 16 types of champagne, and intro dance lessons for $8, so if you love Century Ballroom and/or hate The Man, slap on your dancing shoes, grab $8, and swing, tango, and salsa the night away. The fun starts at 8 p.m.

More details on the event, plus a way to directly donate a birthday gift to Century Ballroom, right over here.

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@9 Right. That's why no one is protesting 24 cents. They are protesting the inconsistent application of an additional 9.5% sales tax, retroactively, on only some small venues that can be construed by DoR lawyers as providing an "opportunity" to dance. Like the Tractor Tavern is getting hit for every concert they ever had, not just their one line-dancing night. They tried to settle for the line-dancing night and were told no, everyone at every concert they ever put on had the "opportunity" to dance. Because they have an open floor in front of the stage.

If you don't see this as a dangerous precedent for small venues statewide, you are not paying attention. The DoR isn't going after KeyArena when they have concerts for "opportunity" to dance. They are going after small clubs. People in this and other threads who call this a tax on "the rich" are delusional. If you think the owners of Mars Bar, Shipwreck Tavern, Sit 'n' Spin, and any other small venue that has gone out of business in Seattle in the last 10 years retired in luxury, you do not understand the words "labor of love."

Posted by threnody on February 20, 2013 at 4:13 PM

This tax is in addition to the business and occupation taxes that the venues already pay on their gross receipts

B&O Tax is 2.4% even if you are charged retail B&0, litter tax and service B&O like a tavern. 24 cents on a $10 cover doesn't sound like much of a burden. Source: http://dor.wa.gov/Content/FindTaxesAndRa… and http://dor.wa.gov/Content/FileAndPayTaxe…

Posted by baever on February 19, 2013 at 6:58 PM

@5,

Literally the first result when I googled "Washington state admissions tax". Dumbass.

What's an admission tax?

Whenever a charge is collected for admission to any place or event for entertainment or recreation within the Seattle city limits, an admission tax is levied. This tax is collected on both "paid" admission charges and "complimentary" admissions. In other words, the business or organization conducting the event has to collect admission tax on all "admissions" to the event, whether or not the person being admitted paid for his/her ticket. The event or show can be held in a theater, dance hall, amphitheater, private club, auditorium, observation tower, stadium, athletic pavilion or field, amusement park or any similar place.

Posted by keshmeshi on February 19, 2013 at 5:21 PM

Kinison: this is a existing tax... it is applied so un-evenly it's not fun... case in point the Elite.....

Posted by ja-barr on February 19, 2013 at 4:35 PM

Ohhh what about lap dances at strip clubs? Those are taxable as well, pass this law and strippers will basically cry foul, because their dances are taxed and others are not. Why do you hate strippers!!!

Posted by Kinison

on February 19, 2013 at 4:04 PM

Finally, Seattle meets a tax they dont like.

Curious, is there a tax for providing live entertainment be it in a bar, club or stadium? Is dancing not another form of entertainment? Hmmm met thinks if you get this tax struck down, performers and venue owners will soon seek the elimination of entertainment taxes for live music.

Posted by Kinison

on February 19, 2013 at 3:59 PM

#2 This "revenue stream" did not exist before. It's a sneaky re-interpretation that causes retroactive bills in the 6 figures for only small venues. If you really wanted to have a legit tax on dancing, tax the stadiums when they have concerts. Oh wait! No! That'll never happen. But it makes as much sense as taxing the Tractor Tavern for its concerts...

Posted by threnody on February 19, 2013 at 2:45 PM