The idea of a new tax on hotel and motel stays isn’t dead, and a group is working to answer the questions and address the concerns that stalled the proposal earlier this year.
A group of county council members who voted no to the innkeeper’s tax have formed a group with other economic development officials to research the county’s best attractions and ways to promote them. Their goal is to answer questions about how the money from an innkeeper’s tax would be spent, before presenting their findings to the community and county council members who may vote on the tax again.
An innkeeper’s tax would enact a 5 percent tax on hotel and motel bills in the county. Council members who voted no to the tax had concerns about not having a specific plan in place for how to spend the money collected. Supporters argued that the council only approves the tax, and a visitors and tourism bureau would be created that would decide how to spend the money.
