MEDICAL MART TAX ESCALATES DESPITE RECESSION

Submitted by Roldo on Fri, 12/19/2008 - 09:02.

When do we shut it down?

The latest tax figure for collection of that quarter percent sales tax for the Medical Mart & Convention Center cost Cuyahoga County taxpayers totaled $3,479,373.20 in November.

Despite the recessionary impact on consumption, the tax continues to be higher than predicted. The November figure is a bit higher than the $3,427,717.90 in September.

The total collected since January when the tax started is $38,712,692.71. That’s $38 million extra in sales taxes paid by Cuyahoga consumers this year thus far.

The collection of more than $3-million every month since the tax started in January indicates that the total take will go above the $40-million figure estimated by County officials when they assessed the tax.

The tax was assessed by a 2-1 vote by Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora, two of the County’s worse Commissioners in my memory. That’s saying something.

Since we have been in a recession the entire time it means that the County underestimated its total take and the tax will amount to much more than $40 a year for its 20 year duration (if not extended as such taxes usually are.) The $800 million will escalate upward, especially considering inflation over the 20 years.

I’d say it’s likely the tax would be extended to pay for losses of the med mart/convention center over the years.

Where is a political voice that will say, “Enough! End the tax and use what has been collected to fund severely underfunded needs.”

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Use Medical Mart tax

  To structure local health care coverage for the uninsured...setting up a local model that holds hospitals accountable to show real non-profit status. 

I am so tired of getting reams of glossy brochures and pamphlets from the Clinic and University Hospitals touting their "free" community educational programs.  Do people really attend these "learn how to manage your diabetes," etc. sessions?  I find it hard to believe.

While, I am in fantasy mode, why not just restructure our local government to the twin city Minneapolis-St. Paul-Mayo Clinic model?