A proposal to raise the sales tax is emerging as the core budget fight between Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council this year — but it could prove a boon in tips for waiters.
“I multiply by two [to determine the restaurant tip] when I see that 8 percent sales tax, and I’ll probably do the same thing, since I’m not very good at math,” Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, said yesterday.
Mayor Bloomberg recently proposed the sales tax for city residents go up 0.5 percent, from 8.375 to 8.875. But city Budget Director Mark Page yesterday warned it could be even higher if the council opposes a push to reinstate the sales tax on clothing and shoe purchases under $110.