From the Indianapolis Star:
Johnson County officials will consider adopting a 5 percent tax on hotel guests to fund tourism efforts.
“We’re trying to improve the image of Johnson County,” said County Council member Anita Knowles, “because right now, we have no image.”
Knowles and Loren Snyder will introduce a measure to institute a so-called innkeeper’s tax at the Dec. 2 Johnson County Council meeting.
The state gives counties the power to collect the tax of up to 5 percent, which must be spent to promote local tourism through brochures, websites, advertising, billboards and similar marketing efforts.
In the nine-county metropolitan area, only Johnson County is without a hotel tax that funds a convention and visitors bureau.
“People don’t know what Johnson County has to offer,” Knowles said. “We’re missing out on those tourism dollars.”
Snyder said he is optimistic that the council will approve the tax.
“It’s something our county needs to move forward,” Snyder said. “I want to make Johnson County the place I want to live and work in for the rest of my life. I want to make it a place that I’m proud of.”
Johnson County officials considered the innkeeper’s tax four years ago, but the measure failed amid disagreement over whether some of the money should be spent on parks.
http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2013/11/19/johnson-county-to-consider-hotel-tax/3639505/
