What gall!!

The owners of a Major Mall (MM) in our city has a new idea that is being proposed in the legislature. They want the state to levy a new "business privilege tax", which amounts to a 1% additional sales tax added to each purchase from any merchant in the MM and its surrounding parcels. This money would go to defray the costs of new construction and renovation. In essence, this means that any shopper would pay the mall owner 1% of each purchase for the privilege of shopping there. AND they want the state and city to collect this money for them. What gall!!

Surely they're going to get the money from the consumer one way or another, but this, to me is just beyond all reason. The MM could charge the merchants more rent to get that money. Or they could foot the bill themselves - paid for out of profits (now THAT's a revolutionary idea). Or they could put toll booths at each entrance to the area, and charge admission - so much per person in the car.

Part of this new MM expansion would not be part of the enclosed mall, but a "Life Style Center". These "up-scale" shops would have doors that opened directly to the outdoors. What an AMAZING concept! Although it does sound a lot like what we used to call a strip mall.

Obviously, we don't take photos of shopping malls, but perhaps Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park would qualify as a "Life Style Center".