Mammoth citizens have noticed the additional 1.5% Tourism Business Improvement District charge on their Mammoth Vons’ bills and some have believed that the tax includes food products. According to Vons corporate headquarters, the tax is not charged on food.
Mammoth Vons Manager Rick Graham said the 1.5% TBID tax does appear on bills but, he said, “We’re charging TBID only on applicable items.” According to Carlos Illingsworth, Director of Vons Public Affairs, the store follows Mammoth’s guidelines which say non-taxable food items for human consumption are exempt from TBID. According to Mammoth Lakes Tourism, Total sales for purposes of calculating TBID assessments in the retail category “shall not include sales from non-taxable food items for human consumption.”
Some local sources told us there are Mammoth residents now shopping at Vons in Bishop to avoid what they believed were TBID assessments on their food. Again, Vons says the tax is not applied to non-taxable food items.
Just the facts Benett Kessler Just the facts MAM!! The famous line from Sargent Friday in Dragnet. As a reporter U should be nice not bias towards people U have never met face to face!!
My job description does not include “nice”. It does include fair and inquisitive. So will you answer my question?
BK
WOW talking about slander? Reality Check Can U show proof of this Restraining Order? And Who is it from? I don’t recall being served for anything. Not even Jury Duty.Now I did want to put a restraining order on certain town employee!Jobs well I like most in Mammoth have had… Read more »
Hey h, I did post regarding this matter. Sounds like you and I need to meet. I can tell ya more of my plans if I can get the voters to understand my concerns of the down the drain direction Mammoth is heading in.If U watch the last town council… Read more »
So, apparently you won’t be providing any representation for the Hispanic residents of Mammoth Lakes?
Benett Kessler
Joe, please give us a detailed account of you work history over the last 10 yeras in Mammoth and indicate if any of it was full time work and how long it lasted if it was full time. Also include any restraining orders that you have been served. What is… Read more »
I think Joe is correct to say what he believes caused him to lose his business up here. I too believe there are many good jobs that have been ruined due to people who are willing to work for peanuts up here. I just don’t have any desire to put… Read more »
Are you just figuring out that there is a large Hispanic population in Mammoth and that tourism jobs are the worse paying jobs in the U.S? You seem a little late to the party.
http://www.myplan.com/careers/top-ten/lowest-paying.php
J.P., you better brush up on California history if you’re implying all Hispanics are non citizens, and on your mammoth census facts. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0645358.html How about we stop work visas for New Zealand ski instructors while we’re at it? They can’t even speak proper American and are taking our jobs. Before… Read more »
I think you are absolutely right about stopping immigration. At least until everybody is working at a good job. Of course, there’s still the problem of illegal immigration. Eleven million illegal immigrants is the current estimate. And they all are not from Mexico. They are from all over the World.… Read more »
Shopping at Von’s in Bishop is not the answer. I go there sometimes when I’m down in Bishop for other reasons. They are slower then heck! I don’t know why they can’t talk and scan at the same time, but apparently they can’t. Even their baggers are slow. Also, if… Read more »
Sugar, be nice to the baggers at Bishops Von’s, our kids can’t afford all the good drugs your kids get.
Well, that’s mammoth for you, they’d rather drive three hours than spend five minutes having a conversation with someone in Bishop. Why would they support neighbors that might actually ski there when they can help pay for someone’s pass to Heavenly?
Being a 31 year resident of Mammoth Lakes I was adamantly opposed to the TBID which is supporting air service and a so-called marketing plan that no one has seen in writing. I educated myself by reading the TBID website (http://mltbid.com/ ) and encourage everyone else to do the same.… Read more »
I want to know Joe Parrino’s stance on this issue…
To all the Mammoth people..It’s obvious they don’t care about the residents of your town,only the rich people that come there with their endless supply of $$$ that don’t even notice the xtra tax and/ or don’t mind paying the xtra…simple solution….don’t buy in Mammoth….Bishop is only an hour away…or… Read more »
Taxing the tourists and locals in a tourist dependent town that already has high prices? We are just getting dumber every day. When I drive from Independence to Mammoth for hiking this summer, I will be sure to pick up my sandwich in Bishop first.
As much as I’d like to support local businesses, it’s my hard earned nickel and it doesn’t make financial sense for me to spend more than I need to when I can find the same items for less elsewhere, without going out of my way or spending extra on gas.… Read more »
I don’y buy anything in Mammoth now. I go to recreate. Before I’d go to ride my bike or hike, buy clothes at Van Huesen/Bass, buy lunch, make my way to Booky Joint for some browsing and inevitably buy a magazine or book. Until that 1.5% goes away I’m only… Read more »
Mammoth will soon tax itsself into the iceage. Dont think for a second that the visitors dont see all of these extra fees and taxes.
Govt gone wild
But that would be a good thing….an iceage that is…it beats this climate change crap that is ruining our winters!
If the solution to dry, warm winters is taxation, then we have a plan!
I would set it up like a locals discount. You show ID right from the start to the purchase or sell. Or do a locals card out of the tbid funds (Urdi slush fund) can make the cards. Eventually tbid is not going to last. Mammoth store is already feeling… Read more »
Nice to see Mammoth could afford another “m”. Things must be turning around for them.
Still taxing the locals. No other Vons or safeway does this in the country. If
I was elected it would be tweeked so local residents don’t pay into it.
This was not a tax by Vons but by the Mammoth Business Improvement District through retail, restaurants, and lodging plus lift tickets and ski school.
BK
Remember the story about the frog in hot water? I wonder how long it will take for the people of Mammoth Lakes to figure out they are being boiled?
What Business Improvement???? People in Mammoth are going down to Bishop to shop and everywhere else. The TBID is really a “Business Unimproved Tax.”
I’ve always said no nation has ever taxed itself into prosperity.
A big Thank You TOML from the people of Bishop.
…and I wonder how Chamber of Commerce members can decide to tax the citizenry? Isn’t that just flat out illegal. Nobody voted for the TBID except a few businesses. As I recall, only 68 businesses voted for it. It all just doesn’t seem legal and yet the people of Mammoth… Read more »
Somebody correct me if I’m misinformed, but wasn’t the decision to impose TBID taxes a choice by businesses to tax themselves? And with the number of ‘votes’ determined by the size of the business? (IOW, MMSA gets lots of votes.) Of course, the decision to pass along the new tax… Read more »
You are right abut the decision to impose TBID.
BK
Didn’t the TBID need the majority vote of the town council before it could be “imposed”? Boycotting these plutocrats seems like the only solution to me. Money is the only thing these misers are concerned about. Millionaires passing taxes on the working class only happens if you do business in… Read more »
Not true. All stores charge the appropriate sales tax. Most areas have an additional 1/2 to 1 1/2 percent added to the state’s 7 1/4 percent to pay for local programs. Some regions of the state charge upwards of 9 % sales tax. The state gets their 7 1/4 %… Read more »
(Some local sources told us there are Mammoth residents now shopping at Vons in Bishop to avoid what they believed were TBID assessments on their food.)
That’ll really show those crooks. Shop in Bishop and spend an additional $10.00 in gas. I see allot of Brain Surgeons in this crowd.
Mammoth people drive to Bishop for other services. Maybe they are combining them with a trip to Vons.
BK
The Von’s in Bishop is much larger than the Von’s in Mammoth. Plus you can try your luck at the Paiute Palace on the way down or on the way back.
Benett…exactly….Just like some of the towns where a store (or two) charge high prices,and how it hurts the OTHER business’ that try to keep the prices down…when I have to go to Ridgecrest to maybe pick up something ,I “bundle”…maybe not needing groceries at the time,or fishing supplies,dog food,or anything… Read more »
Too funny. The Chamber of Commerce and City Council in Ridgecrest are always complaining about sales tax “leakage” to the Antelope Valley as Ridgecrustacians (or is that Crumvillains? Ridgecrest used to be known as Crumville) take their business south where the prices tend to be lower and the selection so… Read more »
Desert Tortoise….yeah,but who in their right mind wants to go to Lancaster ?…..and that’s coming from someone that lived there for 31 years.Last time I went there,about 8 years ago,I got lost looking for a house I lived in for 10 of those years….and when I got to a motel… Read more »
I didn’t say live there. I have to go to Palmdale to buy good professional clothing to wear to work. Such clothing is not available anywhere to the north unless you go all the way to Carson City. For good Asian foods I have to go even farther south, to… Read more »
Wow. BMWs, business trips, ethnic food trips, knowledge about everything under the sun. DT, quite the dude.
Benett
I get fruit of the month club, does that count?
I buy everything in bishop now. Dog food – Dusty’s Pets (TBID Tax is on dog food in Mammoth) Food – Vons, (Not just because of the TBID, but everything is cheaper.) Gas – Vons (Gas Points) Beers and alcohol – Fart & Smile (smart and Final) Everything else –… Read more »
You mean you are not supporting our local businesses? Them’s fightin’ words. Just kidding. I said the same thing a while back and all the pseudonyms got their panties in a bunch. I’d drive to Bishop too but for me it’s about a $20 round trip. The TBID is less… Read more »
its the principle. I’d rather spend 100.00 in gas to go to Carson City then to pay for my town incompetence. “I’m not shopping local, anymore.”
I went to Vons in Mammoth this morning (2/26/14) and was charged 1.5% Tourism Assessment. It showed up on my register tape.
Please look at the bill for your purchase. Vons is not charging TBID on food. None food Items like BEER or Wine, Paper goods YES…
Beer is not considered food
If they are bring it too their attention.
Just curious, were you charged TBID sales tax increment on food items, or things like toilet paper, cleaners, and other non-food items?