COSE Supports Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Extension on May Ballot

CLEVELAND, March 6, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) has announced its support of the Cuyahoga County alcohol and tobacco tax extension that will appear on the May ballot. Support for the extension of the so-called "sin tax" was approved by COSE's 25-member Board of Directors, made up of local small business owners. 

Consumers in Cuyahoga County pay a small tax when they buy liquor, wine, beer, and cigarettes. This tax was created to fund the construction of Cleveland's major league sports venues - Progressive Field, FirstEnergy Stadium, and Quicken Loans Arena - which are publicly owned buildings that are leased to the teams.

This May 6 ballot measure is not a tax increase, it is simply an extension of what has already been in place for almost 25 years. The existing tax amounts to 1.5 cents to a bottle of beer, 1 cent for a glass of wine and less than a nickel to a pack of cigarettes. Revenues from a renewed tax would be used to pay for major repairs and improvements at the three buildings. 

Thanks to these facilities, we are one of only 15 cities with teams that play in the NBA, NFL and MLB. Our major league teams and the facilities where they play help identify us as a major league city in a world-class region which, in turn, directly benefits small business owners by creating customers, jobs, and increasing the quality of life for those living and working in Northeast Ohio.

"The money from this tax will not go to team owners or be used to pay athletes, rather it will only be used for major repairs to our sports venues," says Steve Millard, COSE president and executive director. "These repairs are the public's obligation—whether or not we renew the tax."

About COSE
COSE (Council of Smaller Enterprises) is committed to empowering small business success through a series of programs, services, events, and resources that support entrepreneurs, their businesses—and their employees. COSE helps small businesses achieve their idea of success in order to build richer, more vibrant communities that improve the economic climate and enhance quality of life. You can learn more about COSE at www.cose.org or contacting one of our small business concierges at 866-553-5427.

SOURCE Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE)