On December 9th, the City of Crown Point approached the Crown Point Chamber of Commerce with a request for a letter of recommendation endorsing a proposed 1% Food & Beverage Tax. To clarify, this proposal was not initiated by the Chamber. As the voice of our local business community, we sought your input to ensure your perspectives were at the forefront of this discussion.
Here’s how the process unfolded:
During the initial meeting, the city outlined potential uses for the tax revenue, including:
- Expanding downtown parking.
- Funding capital improvements at the Sports Plex and Bulldog Park.
- Renovating and enhancing the historic courthouse and county jail to boost tourism.
In response, the Chamber posed critical questions to the city, including:
- How much revenue would the proposed tax generate?
- What percentage of the funds would be allocated to the listed projects?
Unfortunately, the city did not provide definitive answers to these questions.
Over the past week, we were repeatedly asked to provide a letter of recommendation endorsing the proposed tax. However, understanding the importance of representing our members accurately, we prioritized seeking your input first. With the city’s authorization, we reached out to you, our business community, to gather your valuable feedback on the proposal.
On Tuesday, January 7th, we sent a poll exclusively to our business members. This email included detailed information about the proposed tax to ensure transparency and enable informed responses. The poll quickly gained attention throughout the business community, and the feedback was overwhelming.
The Crown Point Chamber of Commerce deeply values the hard work it takes to run a small business. We are devoted and committed to representing your best interests. Based on the data we collected and the clear message from our members, we stand with you in opposing the proposed 1% Food & Beverage Tax.
As always, we remain dedicated to advocating for the needs of our business community and fostering open, transparent communication between businesses and local government.
Thank you for your trust and engagement. Together, we will continue to champion the success of Crown Point’s business community.
Sincerely,
Ken Michaels,
President
Crown Point Chamber of Commerce