Sandusky officials approve Cedar Point parking tax

Have you ever gone to Sandusky during the offseason? Isn't it bare? Almost like a ghost town. Most people come to Sandusky just for the park and nothing else...not even bothering to spend money in the city itself.

I support this decision.

Well it isn't Cedar Points fault Sandusky has nothing more to offer

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It isn't so bad. . .
Once you're used to it

Valentin, there's a problem with your math (you counted the entire admission, which is already taxed, and taxed it again). I'll help spell out the real benefit to what everyone else is saying (using whatever I remembered from Financial and Managerial Accounting, and whatever I still remember from math class)... here's what Sandusky already will get in the 03 season from a family of four...

Parking ($7.50 fee + $.50 causeway toll) = $8.00
+ New Parking Tax (.60, not .64) = $0.60
Total: $8.60

**Note: The reason why it is $.64 as some say is because the parkway is not considered parking, and since the toll for the parkway is $.50 of the $8 parking fee, you have to adjust for that, so only the $7.50 fee is taxed (and the tax is $.60).

Don't forget, the 3% tax is already included in admission...
Admission for 2 Kids - 2 @ $21.95 = $43.90
Admission for 2 Adults - 2 @ $43.95 = $87.90
Total: $131.80
Total without the tax: $127.96
Difference (goes to Sandusky): $ 3.84

Now, here's a hypothetical scenario, using the idea that they pay $46 for adults, $25 for kids ($3.05 increase each) and have free parking and 50 cent toll...
Admission for 2 Kids - 2 @ $25.00 = $50.00
Admission for 2 Adults - $2 @ $47.00 = $94.00
Total: $144.00
Total without the tax: $139.81
Difference (goes to Sandusky): $ 4.19

Differences in admission fees/taxes between the two scenarios:
*Note, this is per family, not per person, and in essence is the car load
Amount more that CP would make: $11.85
Amount more Sandusky would make: $ 0.35

So, it is more beneficial for CP to raise admission prices and eliminate their parking fee. The user has to pay more, but with what is made ($11.85 in admission versus $7.50 in parking), the admission price can be raised less or there could be some other benefit to the guest. Sandusky would lose $.25 of the $.60 per vehicle tax, and considering they said they'd make $500,000 with the parking tax (which amounts to around 833,334 cars), they would lose $208,333.50 of the $500,000 they hoped to make if Cedar Point does this.

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Cedar Fair Junkie... I mean... ex-seasonal employee for their ride operations departments at CP and MA

*** This post was edited by MaqAttaq 4/15/2003 10:09:03 PM ***

Tourists eat outside of the park...there's some money spent in Sandusky. How about the hotels, stores and mall. There's some MORE money spent in Sandusky. The city already gets a chunk of cash from admission.

Be fair...boost (or create) a smaller tax on restaurants in Sandusky. That way the tax would be more evenly distributed between tourists and locals. Don't hack only at the tourists.

Better yet...they passed this tax...now they should add some parking meters in the city hall parking lot!!!

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Almost 20 years in A.C.E. Time flies when you're havin' fun! =)

Now it's been a few years since I've been there, and even more since I worked for the Point, but is there any other paid parking lots in Sandusky? All I remember are city operated parking meters in downtown. If this is still the case,a good attorney can rip the city to shreds.

I live in a state that is primarily financed by taxes on tourists. We have no state income tax, but a sales tax. This tax is added to the cost of almost everything, except non-ready to eat food (you have to cook/prepare it after you buy it). Six percent of everything you or I buy goes to uncle Jeb (can you guess where I live?).

If Cedar Point is taxed 8% on their collected parking fees, raise the $8 to $9, and keep the difference. Do you really think an extra $1 will keep people from attending? I could be wrong, but I think I paid $10 to park in a pothole ridden dust bowl at SFwoA.

Nobody likes taxes, but the people of Sandusky probably think differently of Cedar Point than your everyday park goer. CP causes traffic nightmares and creates SEASONAL, low paying jobs. Other than the tax base, where the benefit to the citizens from October to May? If the citizens don't like the idea of the tax, the voters will remove the folks responsible. I wouldn't count on it though.

As I understand it, when the corporate parks were built in the 60's and 70's, the developers had to pay for their own freeway ramps and road signage. Which is better, 60 cents or so per car over time or several million dollars right now.

I am not saying it's right, only that you should pick you battles, and this one may not be worth the effort.

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". . . don't you know baby that life is a scream!" - Gordon Gano

There is a way (of course) the average coaster enthusist can escape both admissions and parking tax, one stay somewhere on the Point (no parking fee for you!) and two buy a Cedarfair seasons pass at another park then you avoid both (but Im sure pick up a local tax on hotels).

Pick your poison...

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Summer 03-CP, HP, Canobie, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.

FScottS: Most of that stuff, including the mall, is not in the city of Sandusky, but rather in Perkins Township.

Dutchman: Cedar Point is the only business in Sandusky with paid parking.

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

I have to agree with the city's decision. It seems like you should tax what ails your city... when I visited CP in 2000 I would imagine this would be road wear and traffic congestion. Many tourists (as others have pointed out) may not even spend a dime in the city limits. So it seems to be logical (although the legality is questionable, I'm not an expert on it) to levy a tax against those who cause the most wear on the infrastructure of the city... CP visitors.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

This summer I am refusing to stay at any hotel in the City of sandusky. (Out side the park) 2nd I refuse to eat at any resturant in the city. 3rd I really hope that CP sticks it to the city. It's not CP's fault that the city is going broke!!

Where exactly does the town of Sandusky end and the Perkins Township begin?...I thought most of the hotels and restaurants were inside Sandusky city limits...

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"This mode is difficult!"

OK How do I get the blank name like the last post?

But GP, Cedar Point isn't ailing their city... mismanagement of the city is the problem.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM

Every city has their problems, if every city had a cedar point, every city would probably try to leech off of them. Its not right, but if I read the article right, CP is going to fight it in court. If I were a judge, and I read that article in the newspaper, I would rule in favor of CP. Plain and simple. I'm betting CP comes out on top in this one...

Well, I think all cities suffer from some form of mismangement. (LOL, I live in City of Atlanta). That doesn't strike me as an argument the park could use in a court to overturn the ruling, relevant or not to the situation at hand.

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

To the person with no name: If you look at this map, the city of Sandusky is shown in the peach/pink color. Basically, anything south of Perkins Ave. (including all but a short section of Rt. 250) is outside of the city.

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

Looking at that map...

One has to wonder why Cedar Point is within the Sandusky city limits. Cedar Point itself (the peninsula) is not contiguous to Sandusky *at all*...if you enter the park via the Chaussee, you enter the city limits when you make the turn off of Rye Beach Rd. onto Cedar Point Rd., which I believe, though it is technically a city street, is maintained by the park! Remember, the Causeway...the land bridge between Sandusky and Cedar Point...is man-made!

Logically, the map suggests that the whole peninsula really ought to be in Perkins Township. Which might not be such a great situation either, really...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

It sure would be cool to drop from the city and land in the township. In many ways, even if the township did impose admission tax and such, they at least could use it more with regards to its impact from Cedar Point.

Somone said you couldn't move the park... but perhaps you can.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"The world rotates to The Ultra-Heavy Beat!" - KMFDM

Who exactly generates pretty much all the revenue and publicity the city gets? Thats what I thought commissioners.

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All who think Mean Streak needs a match taken to it say I.

But in order for the park to become part of Perkins, wouldn't Sandusky have to relinquish the land itself?

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Is that a Q-bot in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?