Forced to Borrow to Meet Budget Deficits, City of Anaheim Mulls Disneyland Ticket Tax

[Newtwo]

Forced to Borrow to Meet Budget Deficits, City of Anaheim Mulls Disneyland Ticket Tax

A ballot proposal of a 2% gate tax on large entertainment venues that could produce $84 million annually comes up for a debate at Tuesday’s council meeting.

voiceofoc.org

It’s a topic rarely mentioned in public by Anaheim City Council members – a ticket tax on large entertainment venues like Disneyland.

Even as the city budget has faced a deficit in recent years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Yet that streak of silence may be coming to end.


A 2% gate tax could produce $55 million to $82 million in new annual revenue based on attendance at Disneyland and the Honda Center, according to a city staff report looking into the impacts of gate tax.

 

[DCBaker]

"Anaheim voters won’t see a November ballot measure that would add a 2% surcharge onto tickets for large events.

Councilman Jose Moreno had pitched the measure, which would mainly have affected Disney’s two Anaheim theme parks, but also would have covered the Honda Center. Angel Stadium would have been exempt under terms of the existing lease.

Had voters approved the 2% “gate tax,” it could have raised $55 million to $80 million a year for city programs and services, according to a city report. But Moreno couldn’t get support from the rest of the council Tuesday to put the question on the ballot, and the proposal died.

Other council members complained about already high taxes and suggested Moreno’s idea hadn’t been fully vetted.

There have only been a few meetings since a council rule change allowed Moreno to put a discussion on the agenda; former Mayor Harry Sidhu, who resigned in May, had led the council majority in the past in blocking many of Moreno’s proposals. On Tuesday, Moreno offered to tweak the measure so the tax wouldn’t apply to city residents, but that wasn’t persuasive.

“Due to the current economic climate, I don’t believe it’s appropriate or that I feel comfortable even asking our residents to consider paying more in taxes to enjoy a local outing,” Councilman Avelino Valencia said."

Anaheim council nixes proposed ticket tax on Disneyland, other large venues

Council shied away from a measure that would mainly have affected Disney, the city’s biggest employer and a key contributor to council campaigns.

www.ocregister.com

 

[TP2000]

So the state forced Disneyland to remain closed for 13 months, literally killing Anaheim's Golden Goose industry that pays over half it's general fund taxes.

They finally are allowed to reopen Disneyland, but now have a huge deficit after over a year of lost tax revenue. And the brilliant Socialist economist, Dr. Jose Moreno, wants to make up that lost tax money by raising taxes more on the people who are finally allowed to visit Disneyland again?

"It's as if somehow we should feel fortunate that Walt Disney chose Anaheim,” -Dr. Jose Moreno, speaking to the Wall Street Journal

California has a budget surplus of over $90 Billion (with a B). It was Governor Newsom who directly caused Disneyland to remain closed for 13 months. I would think Anaheim should be asking Sacramento for some of that lost tax revenue that Sacramento caused them, instead of asking Californians to pay higher taxes to go to Disneyland.

 

[drizgirl]

So the state forced Disneyland to remain closed for 13 months, literally killing Anaheim's Golden Goose industry that pays over half it's general fund taxes.

They finally are allowed to reopen Disneyland, but now have a huge deficit after over a year of lost tax revenue. And the brilliant Socialist economist, Dr. Jose Moreno, wants to make up that lost tax money by raising taxes more on the people who are finally allowed to visit Disneyland again?

"It's as if somehow we should feel fortunate that Walt Disney chose Anaheim,” -Dr. Jose Moreno, speaking to the Wall Street Journal

California has a budget surplus of over $90 Billion (with a B). It was Governor Newsom who directly caused Disneyland to remain closed for 13 months. I would think Anaheim should be asking Sacramento for some of that lost tax revenue that Sacramento caused them, instead of asking Californians to pay higher taxes to go to Disneyland.

I'm pretty sure Gavin has plans on that slush fund already.

 

[Hakunamatata]

 

[Phroobar]

That was predictable. He just needed to wait until the mayor f'ed up. Guess who will run for mayor. You can kiss the eastern gateway, new hotel and Disney Forward good bye.