Published
Tue, Oct 18, 2016, 17:18
- The new rules would exempt music venues from paying taxes forced upon them earlier this summer.
Chicago has put forward new tax rules, which would exclude music venues from a 3% tax.
Controversy erupted earlier this summer when Cook County—where Chicago is located—hit music venues with a back tax of 3% on admission and ticket fees, saying that they didn't meet the requirements for live performance which would otherwise exempt them from the tax. A county officer later said that DJ sets, in addition to rap, rock and country music, do not qualify as "fine art."
As Mixmag reports, the county met with industry officials and decided to go forward with an amendment of the amusement tax rules, which would allow for DJ sets to be seen as an art form. Cook County commissioner John Fritchey said that it was never their intention to "play culture police and make decisions on what is, or isn't, music or art."
A hearing for the amendment will be held on October 26th.