Bed tax looms in Chenango County
(Evening Sun photo)
NORWICH – With a proposed measure recently passed by both houses of the state legislature, Chenango County lawmakers are one step closer to imposing an additional tax on hotel rooms across the county.
Members of the County Board of Supervisors contentiously adopted a resolution in February requesting New York State approval of home rule legislation that would enact the local tax. If signed by the governor, the proposal would mandate a fee of up to 4 percent on hotel, motel and bed and breakfast rooms county-wide.
Supporters say money collected from the labeled “bed tax” may provide some relief to property taxpayers, and having it gleaned from out-of-towners would pay most – if not all – fees that the county currently pays to Commerce Chenango to promote local tourism.
According to the Chenango County Treasurer's Office, average costs of hotel and motel rooms is roughly $70 per night (potentially higher depending on time of year and events happening), which means the county could muster an additional $125,000 annually.
Nevertheless, opponents argue a bed tax is just one more in a slew of rising taxes that discourage people from coming to New York. Supervisor Michael Khoury (R-Smyrna) fought against the proposal, saying that county officials should get more input from the business community before moving forward.
Only five supervisors ultimately voted against the measure including those from Smyrna, Oxford, Smithville, Otselic, and German.
The proposal was introduced to the New York State Senate and Assembly in March by local assemblyman Clifford Crouch and Senator James Seward. In June, county officials were notified by Crouch that the proposal passed both legislative bodies and is now waiting to be signed by the governor. Once signed, the county would then be required to hold a public hearing to adopt the proposal as a local law.
“My office usually gets notification from the governor's office once he has signed the legislation into law,” Crouch wrote in a letter to the Chenango County Board of Supervisors. “I will then follow up with you and inform you of such enactment. I, along with Senator Seward, am pleased that we could assist in this vital matter.”
County officials believe a tax, if approved by the governor, won't be put into effect until 2020.
Members of the County Board of Supervisors contentiously adopted a resolution in February requesting New York State approval of home rule legislation that would enact the local tax. If signed by the governor, the proposal would mandate a fee of up to 4 percent on hotel, motel and bed and breakfast rooms county-wide.
Supporters say money collected from the labeled “bed tax” may provide some relief to property taxpayers, and having it gleaned from out-of-towners would pay most – if not all – fees that the county currently pays to Commerce Chenango to promote local tourism.
According to the Chenango County Treasurer's Office, average costs of hotel and motel rooms is roughly $70 per night (potentially higher depending on time of year and events happening), which means the county could muster an additional $125,000 annually.
Nevertheless, opponents argue a bed tax is just one more in a slew of rising taxes that discourage people from coming to New York. Supervisor Michael Khoury (R-Smyrna) fought against the proposal, saying that county officials should get more input from the business community before moving forward.
Only five supervisors ultimately voted against the measure including those from Smyrna, Oxford, Smithville, Otselic, and German.
The proposal was introduced to the New York State Senate and Assembly in March by local assemblyman Clifford Crouch and Senator James Seward. In June, county officials were notified by Crouch that the proposal passed both legislative bodies and is now waiting to be signed by the governor. Once signed, the county would then be required to hold a public hearing to adopt the proposal as a local law.
“My office usually gets notification from the governor's office once he has signed the legislation into law,” Crouch wrote in a letter to the Chenango County Board of Supervisors. “I will then follow up with you and inform you of such enactment. I, along with Senator Seward, am pleased that we could assist in this vital matter.”
County officials believe a tax, if approved by the governor, won't be put into effect until 2020.
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