JACKSON TWP — The controversial business privilege tax — charging certain business owners $800 a year — is on the proposed 2020 budget.

The tax was first enforced July 2019, and was originally introduced by the board of supervisors as a way to help fund its capital reserve fund and capital improvements planning. The tax charges businesses with more than $150,000 in gross revenue $800 per year. Township officials anticipate collecting $93,000 from the tax in 2020 — $2,000 more than the $91,000 projected for this year.

However, not all business owners expected to pay the tax year after year.

Dennis Spirk, owner of Space Center Self Storage, argues that he recalled a supervisor saying the tax would be a one-off fee imposed only in 2019.

“They said it was just going to be one time, but I asked them to put it in writing and they just gave blank stares,” Spirk said. “Once they've imposed taxes, I've never known them to ever be reduced or repealed. I've never known it to happen anywhere.”

This is an excerpt from an article that will appeared in Tuesday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.