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Commission asks staff to pursue legal options for delinquent A&P taxes
Summary
The commission directed staff and legal counsel to research enforcement steps for businesses delinquent on A&P taxes — including whether certificate-of-occupancy revocation or permit suspension is legally available — and to return findings at the October meeting.
The Texarkana A&P Commission voted to direct staff to investigate legal options for enforcing delinquent A&P taxes after commissioners raised concerns that some businesses collect the tax but do not remit it to the city.
Staff noted the city recently updated its certificate-of-occupancy ordinance and said they will research whether revoking a certificate of occupancy or suspending permits is a lawful enforcement tool for unpaid A&P taxes. "We had considered putting AMP enforcement into [the certificate-of-occupancy ordinance] as well," a staff member said, and agreed to consult the city attorney and AMP counsel.
A motion to research legal enforcement options and place the issue on the October agenda passed. Commissioners asked staff to report back with specific legal pathways that could be used to secure back payments or otherwise compel compliance.
Why it matters: Collecting A&P taxes is essential to funding the commission’s marketing and grant work; commissioners want to identify lawful remedies to ensure a level playing field for businesses and to recover unpaid revenues.
Next step: Staff and the city attorney will prepare a legal options memo and present recommended actions to the commission in October.
