The City of Indianola will request that its tourism tax be renewed without a sunset clause.
B.B King Museum Executive Director Malika Polk-Lee went before the board of aldermen this week to request that the city ask the Legislature to renew the tax.
Polk-Lee informed the board of the 2024 recap of achievements at the B.B. King Museum.
The total traffic in 2024 was 23,527.
The museum served 621 children from pre K-12 with free education programs, and there were over 1,000 students who visited the museum from 43 schools throughout the country.
The museum held 15 free music events for the community, 349 people were served during the free health programs, and 1,922 people attended the museum free community outreach programs.
“We are here on behalf of the Indianola Tourism Commission to ask for the renewal of the tourism taxes,” Polk-Lee said. “It sunsets this year, and we are asking for the board to renew the tourism taxes without the sunset clause. It’s at the board’s discretion to renew the taxes either way. If you all choose to renew with the sunset clause, we will accept that, but we do have an opportunity to request the legislation to renew it without the sunset clause.”
Mayor Ken Featherstone asked Polk-Lee to explain more details about the sunset clause.
“The sunset clause will prevent us from having to do it every five years, but the board at all times still has the discretion to decide to do the tax. At any time the board can meet and agree to end the tourism tax. You do not lose control at all.” Polk-Lee said. “It just prevents us from having to come and do this every time it expires every three or four years. It just prevents us from having to get it requested.”
The board approved the request.
