The Dewey Beach Council made a decision at the town meeting July 19, to not pursue a gross receipts tax on businesses in Dewey Beach.
The town’s budget and finance committee has been working for a long time to come up with a solution to provide more consistent income to the town and at the same time, try to balance the scales, so to speak, so that all segments of the town are contributing to the town’s upkeep on an equitable basis. The town’s property owners who rent have been paying the “lion's” share to support the town - while the town’s business community’s contribution has been much less.
The GRT was designed to come close to solving both issues. And in a referendum vote the town would probably have supported it. At the same time, after examining all the contributing factors, the council decided to break with the strong support for the GRT and attempt to solve probably a much larger problem. For years now there has been a failed relationship environment between the town and much of the business community. Everyone from Dewey Beach to Washington, D.C. is well aware of the continuing battles, including expensive lawsuits that continue to go on in our town. Dewey is known for this “battle ground.”
What the council did was not popular for many and it was a bold, brave move on their part - but their decision may well turn out to be the smartest move for the future of Dewey Beach, given the town’s business community can arrive at a solution that will satisfy the town’s goals. The GRT is always an option.
The council hasn’t lost focus on the needs of the town and especially the need to insure all segments of the town are paying a fair share to support our town financially and to promote a town environment that will insure a popular resort town where all people, young and old, can be proud of their seaside community; where all segments of the town are working together to make Dewey Beach a town we all can be very proud of.
Rich Miller
Dewey Beach