Pascagoula gives nod to leisure district, restaurant tax

The City Council on Tuesday night voted to set up a “leisure district” that would allow patrons to take drinks to go, and it also paved the way for a vote on a restaurant tax to support recreation.

The leisure district would run along Pascagoula from Convent Avenue to U.S. 90 and west to the river. It would also dip south to Dupont Avenue, and in all would encompass the downtown bars and restaurants such as Jack’s by the Tracks and Scranton’s.

The council also decided to let residents vote Aug. 30 on whether they want a 2 percent tax on prepared food at restaurants and other entities that serve food. The money raised would support a $10 million bond for Parks and Recreation projects.

According to a prepared packet, the tax is expected to raise $775,000 to $1 million a year. It noted most of the city’s recreational facilities were built in the 1970s and 1980s and there is a need to upgrade.

The city has been funding Parks and Recreation projects with money collected from the hotel tax, grants and other city funds.

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 8:58 PM with the headline "Pascagoula gives nod to leisure district, restaurant tax."