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City Working Out Changes To Sales Tax Code Enforcement

Last night, leaders of Bethel's nonprofit agencies - including Bethel Community Services Foundation - showed up in force again at the City Council meeting to express their concern about how the city plans to enforce the sales tax.
Courtesy of Bethel Community Services Foundation Inc.

 

Last night, leaders of Bethel's nonprofit agencies showed up in force again at the City Council meeting to express their concern about how the city plans to enforce the sales tax.

 

Bethel Community Services Foundation Executive Director Michelle DeWitt laid out why they have problems with a letter that the city sent them.

 

“One was how the interpretation applied to fundraising for groups to meet mission,” said DeWitt, “like collecting tax on occasional bake sales and those kinds of things is so impractical.”

 

She said that tracking and reporting such small amounts could cost the agencies as much or more than they make from the events. DeWitt said that a monthly reporting system for the sales tax was also burdensome.

 

“Which is very inefficient for nonprofits, most of whom would be reporting zeros, but also for the city,” DeWitt said.

 

She said that City Attorney Patty Burley had met with them earlier in the week and offered to make changes in the letter.

 

Among the others who echoed DeWitt's concerns were Eileen Arnold with the Tundra Women’s Coalition, Buck Bukowski of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Mike Walsh of The Foraker Group consulting firm.

 

“We stand beside those nonprofits as they really help to try to build the city a fair and equitable sales tax structure for everybody, including the nonprofit sector,” said Walsh.

 

Walsh was in town from Fairbanks and spoke during People to be Heard.