Ticket-tax opponents say they have collected more than 18,000 signatures in their effort to place an amendment to Columbus' charter on the ballot that would eliminate the two new 5 percent taxes and ban future ticket taxes.

And some of the effort's supporters are speaking out against the taxes, including Mark Gramz, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners of Ohio, who said movies offer "value entertainment" to families and senior citizens who would be hurt by such taxes.

"It's like taxing the poor to serve the rich," Gramz said.

"They should seek private donations. Private philanthropy should support the performing arts," said Gramz, who also is vice president of government affairs for Marcus Theatres, which operates the Crosswoods Cinema on the Far North Side.

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Jamie Kaufman, president of Dream Seats, a local ticket broker, said his customers don't want the tax passed on to them.

"They all feel, as they have for years, that the prices of entertainment have gone up so much that many who went to numerous events have to pick and choose," said Kaufman, who sells tickets on the resale market.

Tax opponents have to collect 11,030 valid signatures of voters to put the charter amendment on the ballot. They are aiming for the Nov. 5 ballot.

Local sports agent Bret Adams, one of the driving forces of the campaign to stop the taxes, said it took about three weeks to collect the signatures. He said he doesn't know when they will be submitted.

The taxes are to take effect July 1. Columbus City Council adopted them on Dec. 10.

One of the 5 percent taxes applies to tickets for performances and sporting events at venues with more than 400 seats — not including Nationwide Arena — and for tickets costing more than $10, which would include the more expensive seats at Columbus Clippers games. That tax would raise an estimated $6 million a year for the Greater Columbus Arts Council to fund arts groups. None of that money would go to Nationwide Arena.

But revenue from the second 5 percent tax would. That tax is to be added to tickets for events at the arena, including Columbus Blue Jackets games and concerts. That would raise an estimated $3 million a year: $2.4 million would go toward arena improvements and $600,000 to improvements of arts facilities.

Adams released a list of companies and promoters supporting his effort against the taxes. In addition to the National Association of Theatre Owners and Dream Seats, it includes Live Nation, AEG, Express Live, the Newport, Danny Wimmer Presents, FELD Entertainment, the Ohio RV & Boat Show, Marketplace Events, the Ohio Fishing Expo, the Good Guys Auto Show, Union and Axis.

Adams said he's not ready to say how much money the anti-tax effort has raised. The campaign is spending close to $104,000 to collect signatures; it hired suburban Detroit's SMI Enterprises to do so.

Lisa Griffin, a spokeswoman for Protect Art 4 Columbus, a group of community residents and businesspeople supporting the taxes, said many wealthy out-of-town promoters are on Adams' list.

"They have one goal in mind: to make even more millions of dollars," Griffin said. "To take the money out of our city."

She added via email, "We fear their actions will take away the 15,000 jobs currently supported by the arts and cultural sector, and the $400 million annually in economic impact."

Adams, who owns the Bluestone event venue on East Broad Street Downtown, said anti-tax supporters are "overwhelmingly local."

Larry James, a local lawyer and a co-chairman of Protect Art 4 Columbus, which has 2,329 members, said that if tax opponents can raise a lot of money, they can raise a lot of noise.

But James said the arts community as a whole supports the tax.

"I would hope that the business community believes enough to support it if we’re going to have a viable creative arts scene that makes the quality of life better for everyone," he said.

mferench@dispatch.com

@MarkFerenchik