Councilmen Discuss 2% Restaurant Tax

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- The two percent restaurant tax was back on the menu at the Columbus City Council meeting Tuesday.

The council approved a counter proposal with a few changes with the hopes of getting the CVB and Lowndes County Board of Supervisors on the same page.

The city was asking for $400,000 to go to park renovations and $100,000 to the amphitheater.

The city has lowered those numbers to $300,000 for parks and $50,000 for the city’s new amphitheater.

The city’s proposal also lowered the floor requiring more restaurants to collect the 2 percent tax.

“Hopefully the city and the CVB, here in the next day or so, can come to an agreement and agree on what our request is and therefore, we can do inner local agreements between the city of Columbus and the CVB, and file a request,” said Mayor Robert Smith.

Before the tax can be renewed this year, the resolution must pass in both chambers by legislators in Jackson.