Residents voice their opinions about proposed occupation tax

The Huntington City Council met Monday evening to vote on the purchase of five new vehicles for the sanitary board and the first reading of the 1 percent occupation tax ordinance.

The second reading of two ordinances for the mayor to enter a contract to furnish the sanitary board with five new vehicles was approved unanimously. One ordinance is for the purchase of two Ford F-150 pickup trucks and the other for three Dodge Dakota extended cab trucks.

"These monies would be paid out of the operation and maintenance account with reimbursement from DEP," said Kim Wolfe, mayor of Huntington. 

Two of the vehicles had to be purchased on an emergency purchase, said Loretta Covington, director of the sanitary board.

"We had two trucks where the transmission fell out and to replace them would have cost more than what the value of the trucks were worth," Covington said.

There was also a first reading of an ordinance for the mayor to enter a contract to purchase the city sanitation and trash divisions four new F-150 pickup trucks and two new Chevrolet Sierra pickup trucks. Council will vote on this at the next meeting.

Also on the agenda was the first reading of the ordinance for the 1 percent occupation tax. This tax would be for those employed by an employer in a business, profession, occupation or trade within the corporate limits of the city of Huntington.

Steve William, member at large, moved for the rules to allow the public to speak on the first reading. Several people voiced their opinions in opposition to the occupation tax, claiming it is taxation without representation.

Steve Stewart, an employee of Appalachian Power, said he and his coworkers wanted to know if there was anything in the ordinance that would credit people like himself who work outside of city limits some of the time.

James Insco, District 9 councilman, said individuals would only be taxed for the hours they work inside city limits.

"On behalf of the 90 or so employees that work inside of city limits, I have been asked to urge the council to vote against this ordinance," Stewart said.

Stewart said the city should raise the user fee to $5 to increase the city's revenue.

The city council will vote on the ordinance for the 1 percent occupation tax at the next meeting on May 10.

Tess Moore can be contacted at moore231@marshall.edu.