time to implement a food and beverage tax in Monroe County, expand the convention center and reap the benefits.

It will take a while to get all that done, but that should be the prize at the end of the many steps ahead for the Monroe County Council.

The council began discussing the idea at a meeting Tuesday. Legislation to enable the council to pass such a tax was approved in 2009 by the General Assembly.

Officials estimate a 1 percent food and beverage tax could generate about $2.5 million per year to be used by the county for a dedicated purpose, in this case, presumably, to expand the convention center. However, an advisory council would be set up to decide how to divide revenue from the tax.

There undoubtedly will bethese circumstances the Board will not entirely disregard
the statements in the email. Accordingly, the following points provide
additional support for the agricultural land classification.

 In 1992 the Petitioner purchased the subject property for a
small farm. He and his father built the home in 1996-1998. The barn was built
approximately a year later.

 Most of the wooded area has an upper canopy of scotch pine.
Along the creek there is 15-20 acres of traditional native forest. The scotch
pines were planted in the 1930s and are nearing the typical life-span. The
state forester said they will not propagate and will eventually die off. Scotch
pine is not considered good for lumber and is just used for pulp. The
Petitioner purchased tractors and other equipment. For a few years he harvested
the pines and sold them to Seymour