Goshen Requests Splitting Proceeds With County
With the steam train excursions set to return to Goshen this fall, Goshen Town Council is seeking a share of Rockbridge County’s admissions tax revenues from the train rides.
Town Council has made a formal request for half of the revenues that are to be generated from the admissions tax the county charges for the train rides. The excursions, pulled once again by the 611 steam locomotive, are to be held on five consecutive weekends this fall, beginning with the weekend of Sept. 26-28.
The admissions tax on the train rides is expected to generate over $100,000 this year.
The ticket booth/train station for the excursions is just outside the Goshen town limits. Town Council’s request is to share in the tax proceeds for admissions tickets sold in or within a ha1f-mile of the town.
The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors discussed the request at Monday’s regular meeting. The supervisors seemed amenable to sharing a portion of the admissions tax proceeds from the train rides, though not everyone was on board with a 50-50 split with the town.
Leslie Ayers and Jay Lewis expressed support for the even split while Dan Lyons raised questions about it.
“I don’t want to delay things but I think we need to get together with officials of Goshen and discuss the percentage,” said Lyons. “I know we have approved and spent some money already this year making improvements – the fencing around page 2 the collection [center] site to shield it from the railroad. I think if we’re going to share revenues we should share expenses so we should come to an agreement on the percentage. I’m not ready to agree to a 50-50 split – just a pure split – unless we’re going to adjust some other things.”
“I hear you but I think the [fencing for the] convenience center, that should have been there to begin with,” responded Lewis. “I don’t necessarily see this as a part of this. That’s my thought on that.”
“If we did do a 50-50 split, they [Goshen] would have a revenue source if there are any costs [associated with the 611 excursions],” commented Ayers.
“I do think we need to have some discussion on what the percentage split is,” said David McDaniel. “I’m not saying it’s not 5050, 60-40, whatever. There are expenses in the town that the county pays for – schools, sheriff’s department, fire and rescue, things like that we cover so I think we need to have that discussion and pinpoint that down and that can be discussed while this is in the process of being worked out. I don’t think it should hold it up.”
“Those services you mentioned are paid for by the county but this is a slightly different revenue stream,” said Lewis. “… It just seems like a unique situation. That’s why I’m comfortable with the 50-50.”
Turning to Lyons, Ayers said, “Can we ask, are you against it if it is 50-50?”
“Yes, but I’m not against developing a revenue sharing agreement,” replied Lyons. “I think there needs to be some discussion as to why it would be 50-50. But I think it should be shared. I’m not saying it shouldn’t.”
“I just don’t want us to risk it being zero,” interjected Lewis, who pointed out that Goshen could establish its own admissions tax that would then be tacked on to the county’s admissions tax, adding to the costs of the train rides.
“I’m not asking it to be zero,” said Lyons. “I’m asking for it to be negotiated.”
“Well, I’m glad I’m hearing we want to move forward,” said Lewis.
Ayers said she felt the logical percentage split for a revenue sharing agreement should be 50 percent. “It’s a relatively easy decision for me,” she explained. “I don’t know how to calculate whether it should be 30, 40. That seems to be kind of arbitrary – we would be picking an arbitrary number. If you’re going to pick one, it seems 50 is the one to pick.”
The consensus among the supervisors Monday was to have Lewis and Lyons meet with Goshen Mayor Tom McCraw and Vice Mayor Steve Bickley between now and Aug. 11, when the supervisors next meet, to discuss a revenue-sharing agreement.
Then, at the Aug. 11 meeting, the supervisors will vote on what the percentage split will be.
One other issue that was raised during Monday’s discussion was whether a similar revenue sharing agreement on admissions taxes should be broached with Glasgow Town Council. It was decided that any such agreement should be handled separately from the Goshen one.
