Good old sensational headlines and news stories of business versus taxes. Is Electric Daisy Carnival 2014 in jeopardy? Doubtful. For all of the millions of dollars brought into the city do you really think so? I don’t. This was also great timing though to make it sound like 2013 could be the last on the day tickets were about to sell out. Guess what happened? This probably helped to sell more tickets. There was another article written 10 days ago (read down below) that talked about this tax as well that mentioned EDC but it wasn’t sensational until now.
The festival isn’t leaving. If it does stop or leaves to go elsewhere it will not be because of this single tax issue, there’ll be something bigger behind it.
The Live Entertainment Tax in question hasn’t even been drafted, it’s just been brought up which has thrown all of this into what sounds like a panic.
This issue doesn’t impact just Insomniac’s Electric Daisy Carnival. It also impact NASCAR, Burning Man and Night in the Country (a Boys & Girls Club fundraiser). That’s a pretty big group that will have a lot of power on it’s side to argue against closing a tax loophole.
It’s a business versus taxes debate that happens in every village, city, state and nation. Government needs more money. Business is making it. Loop holes exist and one side is trying to close them but if they do it’ll increase costs and those will be passed on to the consumer. This just gives the business the advantage making it seem that things could drastically change and all of it’s customers become vocal. Good old tactics and sensational headlines.
Let’s just say they close this tax loophole. Does anyone think any of these massive events would risk millions in profits over raising ticket prices on it’s consumer? No way.
This headline appeared in the Las Vegas Review Journal:
Pasquale Rotella’s taxing statement: EDC’s return in 2014 is in jeopardy
“Insomniac loves doing business in Las Vegas, and right now our primary focus is producing the best show for the fans who will attend Electric Daisy Carnival on June 21, 22 and 23. While we would love to bring another festival to Nevada, we are tabling any further discussions until the state Legislature settles the Live Entertainment Tax issue.”
The tax referenced by Rotella is the 10-percent surcharge leveled on many forms of live, ticketed entertainment in Nevada. But what constitutes “live entertainment” has been a hazy issue since the tax was enacted in 2005.
As the law reads, a 10-percent tax is issued by the state when there is a live performance being staged in a venue with a minimum occupancy of 200 and maximum occupancy of 7,499. The merchandise, food and beverage handle also is taxed. If the venue is 7,500 capacity or larger, a flat admission fee of 5 percent is charged.
Read the rest of the article here.
Here’s some more information from a less sensational headline:
Assembly District 38 representative Tom Grady said he has spoken with Kirkpatrick regarding her proposal, which he said is one option Kirkpatrick is considering introducing during the second half of the 77th legislative session as her one allowable emergency bill.
Grady said he has discussed with Kirkpatrick her idea about changes in loopholes in the Live Entertainment Tax and Modified Business Tax.
Examples that the tax would address include A Night in the Country, Burning Man, the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas and a NASCAR race in Las Vegas.
“It’s just a loophole of exemptions in the Entertainment Tax, and she’s still looking at that,” Grady said.
Read your local news paper on a regular basis or watch the news and you’ll see stuff like this happen all the time. If you’re a sports fan you’ve probably seen it as a team makes possible threats about leaving without tax breaks, fans and cities worry, things change.
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