Tax from the governor

This note came from screamscape today:

Ohio News - (2/10/03) The Governor or Ohio wants to add a 5% Sales Tax to all theme park ticket sales. Most states do not due this, and I know this is one reason the ticket prices in Florida are so high already. You don’t want this and the park’s certainly don’t want this. This could cause problems for small parks that are already barely keeping their heads above water. Be aware and if you live in Ohio, let the Governor know how you feel.

What are your thoughts you know they already tax parking lol?

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rocket420

Great more taxes.

they don't "due" that??

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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82
Technical Services 2002
Fright Zone Screamster 2002

To think one of Taft’s platforms last election was “no taxes” and even labeled his opponent as “Taxin Tim Hagan.” Now Taft is taxing everything he can think of.

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Wow, a new ride is being built.

I would hope that a tax on park tickets might prompt the parks to revise their pricing schemes a little. Consider this: At Cedar Point, the admission is...what...$33, with most people getting about a $12 discount, meaning most people pay $21. Add a 5% tax to that, and it would be $34.65 - $12 = $22.65 (of which $1.65 is tax...7.28%!). I would hope that the park would respond by lowering the admission price to, say, $25 with a $4 discount ($21) because with a 5% tax that would be $26.25-$4 = $22.25 (of which only $1.25 is tax...5.6%). Better still, drop the price to $21 and eliminate the discount, giving a gate price of $22.05 ($1.05 tax...5.0%). Any way you look at it, the park still gets its $21.

This is, of course, because in Ohio, sales tax is applied before any discounts. Personally, I think any tax beyond the applicable tax rate is unreasonable. So if this goes through, let's see our parks drop the admissions and drop the discounts so that we can limit it to the 'advertised' 5% tax.

Personally, I think there are enough problems with trying to collect a sales tax on services that the whole package is unlikely to go through. A ticket tax would be easier to audit, though, so that is unfortunately a good possibility.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

This is from ChannelCincinnati.com:

The state's amusement parks may face a new tax on tickets this year. Gov. Bob Taft on Thursday set out to expand the 5 percent state sales tax on items including amusement park tickets.

Cedar Point spokeswoman Janice Witherow said, "The impact would be in the millions of dollars."

The amusement park already pays an admissions tax to the city of Sandusky.

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I was the kid who, when the teacher asked all the students to pick up three pieces of paper off the floor, would just pick up one large piece and rip it into three smaller pieces.

$43.95 a person for 2003 without any discounts..

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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82
Technical Services 2002
Fright Zone Screamster 2002

Another possibility the parks could take if this tax goes through is to absorb it at the admission gates and then raise the price of items sold within the park to offset the tax.

Just an idea but I think people wont notice it as much if its filtered throughout the park.

I don't think that the sales tax has anything to do with the high ticket prices in Florida. I was there last May and went to Busch Gardens and Universal IoA. Both places had ticket prices of about $49.95, and then they added sales tax to that. Ticket prices for this year have gone up $2.00 at both parks.

On a side note: Parking at Busch Gardens is $7.00 and Parking at IoA is $8.00

One of the first rules of bussiness.. If taxes are raised.. you do NOT "absorb" them.

It's not Cedar Point's responsibility to "absorb" government mandated taxes. To do so will put you out of bussiness really fast as this will, as Janice has put it, "Cost millions"

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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82
Technical Services 2002
Fright Zone Screamster 2002

Rob, did you not read the rest of my post? I said to offset the tax , you increase prices elsewhere in your business.

This will cost the visitors of Cedar Point more than they're already paying. My question is what is planned with the financial gain... if it's 'good,' then maybe I could see it happening. And by 'good' I mean something that would benefit Cedar Point visitors, such as better ramp access to the CP Causeway, or blah blah blah... which will not happen I'm sure.

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17 straight years of real thrills and counting...

To be honest with you. Prices will always rise, taxes will always interfere, and dealing with the pressures of inflation will never disappear.

But no matter what price admission will become, I will always visit CP!

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520, 500+, 160. prepare.

Buy your season passes early and you won't have to worry about this years tax.

I think we are certainly taxed enough. If the government would only "trim the fat" and run a more streamlined operation, then we wouldn't have as much excess spent where it could be saved/cut.

The park can't absorb the taxes. It's ridiculous to think that. It's not their fault.

Plus, would you want the prices to be any higher in the park? We complained about $3 pop. If everything was more costly, they would be approaching the dangerous price threshold were no one would buy from them anymore.

I for one would not stop going to CP because of $2 worth of taxes... On another subject, people who have to correct people's spelling mistakes to feel good about themselves should seek professional help.

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ONE freeway stamp a day... ONE

Vanessa, try http://www.guidetothepoint.com/cpplace.aspx?mode=help#tos

It's not all about "feeling good about themselves". It's about following the TOS

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

Red Garter Rob said:
$43.95 a person for 2003 without any discounts..

And the group/Pepsi can/Meijer presale/AAA discount will be...?

(I don't remember what the gate price was last year. I do remember that the discount was about $12, though, which tells me the gate price and the discount are both too high)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.
Who already has his 2003 season pass (certificate) anyway...

$42.00 if I remember for last year.. never had to buy a ticket.. hehehe

Could be wrong.. And probably am..
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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82
Technical Services 2002
Fright Zone Screamster 2002
*** This post was edited by Red Garter Rob 2/11/2003 9:23:12 AM ***

Out of touch with the little people...:)

Not that.. I've had a season pass since '87 up till this year.. Bought one last year because I didn't know I'd be working there.. hehehe

Started first full week the park was open, but had gone every day so far so I got my $$ worth.. ;)

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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82
Technical Services 2002
Fright Zone Screamster 2002