• By RICHARD BURGESS
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Oct 31, 2009 - Page: 1BA

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LAFAYETTE — Beer and liquor sales at the Cajundome could come to an end if officials at the facility cannot resolve an ongoing dispute over past-due taxes.

The Cajundome needs clearance from Lafayette Parish Sales Tax Director Carl Meche to renew its alcohol permit, which expires today.

But the tax collector has held back approval because of a $1.4 million tax debt owed by the dome, Cajundome Director Greg Davis said.

As of Friday afternoon, the situation had not been resolved, but no events were planned at the arena until the University of Louisiana at Lafayette basketball game Nov. 10.

The issue over the alcohol permit stems from a legal battle between the Cajundome and the tax collector over whether the facility should collect an 8-cent sales tax on tickets, concessions and other sales.

The Cajundome had argued that the publicly owned facility should be exempt from collecting sales tax.

Meche called that stance a misunderstanding of a law that exempts public agencies from paying sales tax on purchases but not from collecting the tax on sales.

The courts sided with Meche, and the Cajundome now collects the tax.

Still in dispute is $1.4 million in back sales taxes the Cajundome is liable for from 2004 to 2007.

Davis has not disputed that the Cajundome legally owes the money, but said Friday the Cajundome is too strapped for cash to pay and state law prohibits the tax collector from enforcing a monetary judgment against a public entity.

“They can get a judgment, but they can’t make us pay,” he said.

Davis said that even if the commission that oversees the Cajundome wanted to pay the debt to ensure the renewal of the alcohol permit, there is not enough money.

“Our problem is we don’t have the money to pay it,” Davis said.