Math Matters. But maybe not for Verizon.

Math does matter. A hilarious Verizon call. This has been floating around the internet for ages, but it's worth a quick listen. It makes a point that's worth remembering as people consider the impact of a 1/2% sales tax increase. It's different from a 1/2 cent increase.

• Adding a 1/2% to a purchase of $100, adds 50 cents. 
• Adding 1/2% to a purchase of $50, adds 25 cents.
• Adding 1/2% to a purchase of $10, adds a half cent (maybe rounded up to a penny?)

That's quite different from saying that the sales tax would add 1/2 cent to every purchase.  

Just saying, folks: Math matters. And I guess language matters too, right? So...1/2 percent please, not 1/2 cent...

And...the million dollar question (literally): Do I think it's reasonable to ask every customer who shops here to spend 1/2% more on their purchases so that Sebastopol can be healthy? Yes I do. If someone spends $100 at a shop downtown I don't think it's wrong to ask them to add on 50 cents to help the town flourish. I'm OK with a shopper adding 25 cents to a $50 purchase, or a rounded-up-to-a-penny for a $10 purchase. We all care about this town. We all want to continue shopping here. So how about we all contribute to the solution? 

OK. Getting off my soap box now...