Lint brushes, fake trees declared taxable items

Fake trees, lighters, pet food and lint

brushes have been named as taxable items under Whitefish’s 2

percent Resort Tax. Whitefish City Council approved 5-1 at the July

5 meeting an ordinance amending the collection and reporting of the

tax.

City Manager Chuck Stearns drafted the

ordinance that codifies 28 interpretations of goods that are

subject to the tax for “clarity and continuity.”

Other items said to be taxable are

fireworks, conference rooms for rent, candles, crafts, and food

delivery. Food items added to the list include chips, nuts, seeds,

granola bars and jerky.

Some clarified items exempt from the

tax include vitamins, sun block, charcoal, plants with roots and

exercise bicycles.

Councilor Chris Hyatt was the lone

dissenting vote.

Hyatt said he doesn’t agree with all of

the taxable items. He noted that clothing is a necessity and that

some people are required to have certain items for work.

For construction workers, “long

underwear is a necessity in this world,” he said. “Let’s look at

not taxing things that are important,” he said, including “food,

medicine and clothing.”

The ordinance also clarified that

fraternal organizations which provide food and beverages or rent

their facilities to the public are subject to the tax.

Stearns said that by approving the

amendment, the Moose Lodge would no longer be considered exempt

because it’s now open to the public and serving food. The Lodge has

a Monday burger night open to non-members and hosts the weekly

Rotary lunches.

The Moose Lodge “should be treated the

same as the VFW bar and be subject to paying the 2 percent Resort

Tax,” Stearns noted in a letter to the Moose Lodge.

He also said the lodge should obtain

business and liquor licenses.

Mayor Mike Jenson said the amendment

was a good attempt to be fair and consistent when considering all

of the fraternal organizations in the city.