Tax break proposed for small Cleveland music clubs

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland council members want to give smaller music venues a break in the city that’s home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Plain Dealer reports that under a proposal offered by four councilmen on Monday, clubs that hold fewer than 700 patrons would not have to pay Cleveland’s 8 percent admission tax.

Councilman Joe Cimperman says the exemption would be good for the local music scene, which he says is important for the local economy.

Owner Sean Watterson of the Happy Dog club says the legislation could help make Cleveland a “destination music city” like Austin, Texas, or Nashville.

Mayor Frank Jackson is no fan of the plan. He says the city needs its tax revenue and can’t be run “on air.”