Yeah, I know.

The fabulous One Daytona, with its “symbiotic” relationship with the “all new” Daytona International Speedway, is a great place to watch an overpriced movie from a Barcalounger – and we’ve become so starved for culture in the Halifax area that a P. F. Chang’s is now considered exotic dining.

But when is enough, enough? 

Last week, an old friend and one of our preeminent political analysts, Mike Scudiero, sent me a disturbing photograph of a placard near the point-of-sale at a One Daytona establishment announcing something called an “Enhanced Amenity Fee.”

“Notice of EAF – All retail purchases at One Daytona are subject to an Enhanced Amenity Fee (EAF).”

“The EAF is an additional one percent added to the total amount due before sales tax.”

“The EAF will not exceed $350 for any applicable purchase.”

“The EAF will be reinvested to continually enhance the center, including its public space, mobile technology, entertainment options and public art program.”

“Thank you for your patronage of One Daytona.”

My ass.

“ACHTUNG!  You hapless piss ants – It’s not enough that we extracted $40-million dollars in public funds, tax abatement, infrastructure improvements and other “incentives” from you star-crossed fools to reduce our financial exposure and enhance our languishing motorsports business – now, we are going to wring an additional 1% from your skinny little wallet every fucking time you dare to shop here!”

Oh, you don’t want to support our entertainment options and public art program?

Tough shit.  Not an option.

You want to patronize the shopping center you rubes subsidized?  Pay-up at the register, asshole.

When does a “public/private” partnership turn into a usurious victimization – a parasitic exsanguination of the very people who were previously tapped to fund a private project with their hard-earned tax dollars?

As I understand it, the One Daytona Community Development District – the governing body which manages “community development services in the area” –  does not have the authority to levy an additional sales tax – but the board can charge dubious “assessments” which are tied to properties within the District’s boundaries.

Look, you can call this turd whatever you want – but this sales-related “fee” is nothing more than a money-grubbing tax by any other name.

My God, when will we ever finish paying for this thing?

I consider myself relatively well-informed on current local issues – but I’ll be dipped if I saw or heard any formal announcement relative to the implementation of this “EAF.”

The positive – if there is one – is that payment of this tax is purely and exclusively voluntary!

You can simply choose not to shop at One Daytona.

I, for one, will never patronize a One Daytona business so long as this usurious assessment is involuntarily shackled to purchases – and I will encourage everyone within my sphere of influence to do the same.

Not that it will make a difference – it won’t – after all, One Daytona is the “next big thing” and everyone wants to rub up against it.

But in my view – Screw these greedy bastards.

My money spends anywhere, and yours does too.

 

Photo Credit: The Daytona Beach News-Journal