City News Roundup

Dallas loses treasured skate park and more trending city news

White Rock Skate closed October 16.

This week in Dallas, the news was dominated by a West Dallas tenant situation, the loss of a beloved skating rink, and some DART updates. Here are the top stories:

West Dallas housing brouhaha
Mayor Mike Rawlings is floundering this week after an audiotape reveals that his interest in West Dallas property has little to do with the people living there and more to do with the land.

The tape, which can be heard on the Dallas Observer, is a must-listen. According to the story, Rawlings met in 2015 with Khraish H. Khraish and his father, Hanna, who own property in West Dallas, with 300 low-rent houses that "lie directly in the path of a wildfire of gentrification, soaring land values and high-end development in West Dallas."

The Khraishes have been renting the homes for more than 10 years at cheap rates between $300 and $450. They requested the meeting with Rawlings to talk about code violations, but the mayor kept steering the conversation to the topic of selling their land, even asking them the identity of their bank.

Since that meeting, the Khraishes have been the target of several fines and lawsuits from the city. Convinced that they will be no longer be able to continue to do business, the Kraishes decided to shut down their rental business and sent eviction notices to their tenants.

In the uproar that ensued after the Observer story — about which Rawlings said he felt "sleazy" — the evictions were postponed by a judge.

Khraish met with Rawlings and city council member Monica Alonzo on October 20 to offer a settlement, including the idea of selling the properties to Habitat for Humanity, but for now the tenants' status is uncertain.

DART to Love Field
There's another possible option for making a DART connection to Dallas Love Field. Dallas aviation chief Mark Duebner is suggesting running a streetcar from DART's Bachman station to the northern entrance to the airport, on a runway that is closed to air traffic. The streetcar idea would be cheaper than having to build a tunnel, which was the previous proposal.

The current alternative is to take the Green line to the Inwood station, then take a shuttle to the airport.

Lake Highlands institution closes
After 43 years of business, White Rock Skate Center closed its doors on October 16. The Lake Highlands institution opened in 1973, and owners Chuck and Laura Connor decided to retire. The couple does not know what the property will be used for, other than that it won't be a skating rink.

city-news-roundup

always be prepared

Texas tax holiday offers 3 days to stock disaster supplies tax-free

Fire extinguisher, emergency supplies tax free weekend Texas

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Emergency supplies like fire extinguishers that cost less than $75 are eligible for a tax break this weekend.

The best time for Texas residents to stock up on supplies to prepare for natural disasters is coming up this weekend. The annual statewide Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday runs from April 25-27, when Texans will be able to purchase critical emergency supplies — plus household necessities like batteries and fire extinguishers — tax-fee.

Shoppers can purchase certain emergency supplies tax-free starting at 12:01 am on Saturday, April 25, and the "holiday" runs until midnight on Monday, April 27. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased during the weekend, and purchases can be made in store, online, through the mail, and via custom order.

Saving on emergency supplies
Emergency preparation supplies must be purchased under certain price brackets to qualify for the tax exemption. For example, portable generators must have a sales price less than $3,000 to qualify for a tax break. Ladders and hurricane shutters that cost less than $300 also qualify.

Delivery, shipping, handling, and transportation charges are included in the sales price, according to the Comptroller. So if a shopper buys a $299 rescue ladder and is charged a $10 delivery fee, the total sales price for the purchase is $309, and tax would need to be paid for that sales price.

Additional items that qualify for a tax break as long as they cost less than $75 include:

Axes
Batteries – single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt)
Carbon monoxide detectors
Fire extinguishers
First aid kits
Fuel containers
Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
Hatchets
Ice products – including reusable and artificial ice
Light sources – including those that are battery operated or portable self-powered sources; candles, flashlights, and lanterns
Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers
Non-electric can openers
Non-electric coolers and ice chests for food storage
Radios – including portable self-powered radios, battery operated radios, two-way radios, and weather band radios
Smoke detectors
Tarps and other plastic sheeting

The full list of qualifying items is available on The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' website.

As a reminder, over-the-counter items like antibacterial hand sanitizer, soap, and spray and wipes are always exempt from sales tax if they are labeled with a "Drug Facts" panel in compliance with Food and Drug Administration regulations.

Non-qualifying items that will still be taxed
Medical masks, face masks, and gloves of any kind do not qualify for a tax exemption. Other taxable items including toilet paper, cleaning supplies (such as disinfectants and bleach wipes), vehicle or boat batteries, chainsaws, plywood, extension ladders, and stepladders. Camping equipment and supplies, including stoves and tents, are also not eligible for a tax break.

Additionally, any repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies do not qualify for tax exemptions, and neither do any services that are performed on or related to those supplies.

What to do if a qualifying item is taxed during the holiday
If customers buy a tax-exempt item between April 25-27 and are still taxed, they may request a refund from the seller on the tax paid for the item. The seller can grant the refund to the buyer, or provide them with Form 00-985, Assignment to Right to Refund, which would allow the customer to file a claim for their refund through the Comptroller's website.

tax free weekend emergency supplies texas