SOME councillors are still holding out hope the events levy isn't dead and buried.
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Glenn Inglis reignited the conversation about an additional tax on local businesses to help secure new events in Tamworth at this week's council meeting.
Cr Inglis hoped the council "hadn't given up" on the levy.
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He believed it would provide a return for the community even though there was a cost impost for businesses.
The events levy was knocked on the head in May after the state's revenue umpire, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART), ruled against the move.
The IPART chair, Paul Paterson, said the council couldn't prove the community was fully aware of the rate rise and its purpose.
There was a pointed level of scepticism towards the levy in smaller towns in the region.
Jim Maxwell lives in Manilla and he said people would warm to the idea once they knew a bit more about it.
He said it could have been communicated better and hoped it would be revisited.
"You can have breakfast meetings, but a lot of people couldn't get there," he said.
"The ones who couldn't get there didn't get it explained to them and that was one thing the mayor said that we could do a little bit better."
He said the idea still had merit but he suggested it should be reexamined after the region overcomes the current economic slump brought on by the drought.
Russell Webb also wanted to revive the events levy.
However, he said the council should be prepared to wait until the drought breaks and potentially delay the scheme for a number of years.
"Yes, we should look at it, it will help us grow," Cr Webb said.
"But I don't support chasing too much extra money out of businesses in the times we are in."
When he spoke with community members, he got the sense the idea was good, but the timing and the communication was not.
There will be an election in 2020 and whether a new council will pursue the levy remains to be seen.