Seal Beach : Downtown Business Tax Resolution Is Tabled

The Seal Beach City Council tabled a controversial resolution Monday that would be the first step in establishing a tax on businesses in the downtown area.

The resolution to schedule a public hearing on the issue was tabled until Nov. 12 at the request of a group that is opposed to the tax, Councilwoman Edna Wilson said. The tax would be used to hire a coordinator to promote business in the city’s Main Street district.

A resolution to tax all city businesses was voted down last May because of opposition from businesses outside the downtown area. The business owners said they would not benefit from programs the monies would finance, said William Bennett, president of the city’s Chamber of Commerce.

The resolution calls for a $150 annual levy on small retail stores, $270 on larger businesses and a $100 levy on non-retail businesses. The city has budgeted $60,000 to begin installing lights and add benches on Main Street as part of a downtown revitalization program.