[Vision2020] Re: Co-op pays taxes

Bill London london at moscow.com
Thu Jul 7 13:34:09 PDT 2005 

P-
I have no idea why you seem to be so confused by this issue.
Here is my summary:
Why Co-op belongs downtown:
1. pays all taxes, including property tax through rent to landowner
2. is a retail business, and an anchor store to downtown (2002 Latah
Economic Dev. Council research showed that the Co-op was the #1 destination
for shoppers downtown year-round)
3.Co-op provides off-street parking for staff and customers
Why NSA does not belong downtown:
1. does not pay property tax (at least, did not until Saundra Lund and Rose
Huskey unmasked their illegal tax plan)
2. is not a retail business
3. uses public parking places that results in downtown customers shopping
elsewhere.
BL




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Nisbet" <pcnisbet1 at hotmail.com>
To: <london at moscow.com>
Cc: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 11:48 AM
Subject: RE: Co-op pays taxes


> Bill
>
> My last to you was offlist, but as you want to put this on list I will
> respond in that venue.
>
> I do not want to get into a p-ss fight.  I think that the Co-op is a good
> organization and does a commendable job.
>
> The point is simple.  If you are not for profit, you do not make money and
> that being the case, you do not contribute taxes.  Those seeking a higher
> tax revenue base from the downtown area are suggesting that people pay
their
> 'fair share' and that those who do not pay taxes in the downtown area are
> some how getting a free ride.
>
> NSA, the Eagles, Goodwill and all the rest pay taxes on employee wages.
> Where applicable, they pay sales taxes.  The issue is property taxes,
which
> you point out that the Co-op as a renter pay for the property owner
through
> your lease payments.  You pay no income tax, since you are not for profit
> any more than the other organizations do.
>
> So why are you in downtown?  Obviouosly because the location and the price
> of rentals and or property values make that area ideal to serve the
purpose
> of your customer base.
>
> You see Bill, I see having the Co-op and Goodwill in Downtown as a good
> thing, even though they do not generate large sources of tax revenue.  You
> provide a worthwhile service in a location that is readily accessible to
the
> bulk of the walking and bike riding population, in addition to serving
other
> goods as the community minded organizations that you are.
>
> But if the purpose of zoning is to maximize revenues from retail shopping
> space in the Main Street area, than Goodwill and the Co-op and the
> Kenwoirthy and all the rest of the things that are desirable goals
> otherwise, do not fit the bill any better than does NSA.
>
> Frankly, I would be extremely supportive of seeing that the Co-op got tax
> exempt status, because I think that it is a very significant engine for
one
> of the possible legs of economic development here.  Organic farming as a
> means of providing value added agricultural products has value in and
above
> any of the few dollars that flow to city coffers from the tax that your
> leasor pays.  I do not see the ten or fifteen grand a year in property
taxes
> generated as having anywhere near the economic benefit of having the Co-op
> exactly where it is.
>
> But the fortunes of downtown are mainly dictated by what other things we
do
> to bring in the required tax revenues we need to support this city.
> Downtown, even if fully stocked with retail outlets, is not going to bring
> in the money needed for the budget required.
>
> Phil Nisbet
>
> >From: "Bill London" <london at moscow.com>
> >To: "Phil Nisbet" <pcnisbet1 at hotmail.com>
> >CC: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> >Subject: Co-op pays taxes
> >Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2005 10:57:36 -0700
> >
> >P-
> >No. The Moscow Food Co-op is not tax exempt
> >While the Co-op is a not-for-profit store (no owner/shareholder dividends
> >are paid) so "profits" are put back into the store in new equipment or
> >lower
> >prices, etc.  Thus the Co-op directly benefits its 3,500 members.
> >But the Co-op is not tax-exempt and has never applied for any IRS exempt
> >designation.
> >BL
> >
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Phil Nisbet" <pcnisbet1 at hotmail.com>
> >To: <london at moscow.com>
> >Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 10:45 AM
> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Varying Visions
> >
> >
> > > Bill
> > >
> > > Did the Coop not file for any sort of Tax exempt status?
> > >
> > > You see, I have no problem with the Coop or any other of the entities
> >down
> > > there.  Frankly, its a business with a community good.
> > >
> > > Phil
> > >
> > > >From: "Bill London" <london at moscow.com>
> > > >To: "Phil Nisbet" <pcnisbet1 at hotmail.com>, <thansen at moscow.com>
> > > >CC: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> > > >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Varying Visions
> > > >Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2005 10:41:20 -0700
> > > >
> > > >P-
> > > >You are wrong about the Moscow Food Co-op.  The Co-op pays all
relevant
> > > >taxes.
> > > >The Co-op does not own its building so it only pays property taxes
> > > >indirectly through its rent.
> > > >The Co-op pays all the usual sales and employee taxes.
> > > >BL
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "Phil Nisbet" <pcnisbet1 at hotmail.com>
> > > >To: <thansen at moscow.com>
> > > >Cc: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> > > >Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2005 9:54 PM
> > > >Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Varying Visions
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Tom,
> > > > >
> > > > > How about enlightening me about why you are upset with them and
not
> >with
> > > >a
> > > > > tax exempt store operating in the same zone, to whit, The Moscow
> >Coop?
> > > >If
> > > > > the issue is having tax paying entities in the Downtown area, then
> >is
> >it
> > > > > good to have Gart's taken over by a non-tax paying store like the
> >Coop?
> > > > > Should we be looking at driving the Non-tax paying Goodwill from
the
> > > > > confines of Main Street?  How about the Eagles or the Moose or the
> > > >Masons?
> > > > >
> > > > > The thing that I am trying to suggest to you Tom, is that these
tax
> > > >exempt
> > > > > entities are moving into downtown because its cheap.  Its cheap
> >because
> > > > > there is not a whole lot of economic activity.
> > > > >
> > > > > On the Fourth of July in almost any other town USA, Main Street is
> > > >swarmed
> > > > > with Parade crowds, stores having sales, street fairs and the
rest.
> >The
> > > > > weekend of the Fourth was deathly quiet here.
> > > > >
> > > > > How do we keep all of downtown from being swallowed up by people
who
> >are
> > > >not
> > > > > tax paying?  How about gettting some economic activity generated?
> >If
> > > >there
> > > > > was demand because we had people making good money and willing to
> >spend
> > > >it,
> > > > > then there would be no problem either generating tax revenues or
> >seeing
> > > >that
> > > > > the price and cost of those buildings would not just keep them in
> >paying
> > > > > owners hands, but the Non-payers would look to sell and move.
> > > > >
> > > > > So, please, instead of bickering, lets look at what we can all
find
> > > > > acceptable in terms of industry and how we can attract it.  Lets
> >stop
> > > >saying
> > > > > that its the bad old legislature in Boise and start thinking of
ways
> >to
> > > > > build legislative coalitions to increase U of I activity and
chances
> >for
> > > > > grants.
> > > > >
> > > > > Phil Nisbet
> > > > >
> > > > > PS, Tom, I walk down to downtown to shop and hit the resteraunts
all
> >the
> > > > > time.  I live where I do so that I have no need to drive to be in
> >the
> > > >Heart
> > > > > of Moscow.
> > > > >
> > > > > >From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
> > > > > >To: "'Phil Nisbet'" <pcnisbet1 at hotmail.com>,
> ><vision2020 at moscow.com>
> > > > > >Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Varying Visions
> > > > > >Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 19:35:09 -0700
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Mr. Nisbet stated:
> > > > > >
> > > > > >"Take a walk downtown, for those who insist that all is well in
> > > >Mudville.
> > > > > >Shops are not exactly vibrant or Garts, the bridal shop, the old
> >silver
> > > > > >shop
> > > > > >and a bunch of other businesses would not have closed down and
> >moved
> > > > > >elsewhere."
> > > > > >
> > > > > >And your option would be to grant Main Street addresses to
> >tax-exempt
> > > > > >entities like NSA?
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Please enlighten us, Mr. Nisbet.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Tom Hansen
> > > > > >Moscow, Idaho
> > > > > >
> > > > > >"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of
> > > >arriving
> > > > > >safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to
skid
> >in
> > > > > >sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body
> >thoroughly
> > > >used
> > > > > >up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
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