OUR OPINION: Approve lodging tax increase

Sunday, February 6, 2011

An increase in the lodging tax is another step in Jefferson City’s continuing effort to invite growth and development.

Jefferson City voters on Tuesday will be asked to increase the tax from 3 cents to 7 cents for an overnight stay at lodgings within the city.

The increased tax revenue will be used for construction of a conference center, designed to attract larger events to our community.

The existing 3-cent lodging tax is used by the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) to promote Jefferson City as a destination. The additional 4 cents will be held by the bureau in a “lockbox” designated for the conference center.

Proponents point out the tax will be paid largely by out-of-town visitors, not by local residents.

Although that is accurate, it is not our primary rationale for supporting the tax increase.

Our focus is on the need for our community — or any community, for that matter — to thrive and prosper.

The concept of a conference center has been on the city’s wish list for longer than some of us can remember.

The sheer tenacity of the idea is a testament to its enduring desirability.

Passage last year of a state law enabling hikes in lodging taxes transformed Jefferson City’s idea into possible reality.

The public-private partnership envisioned by the city to build and operate a convention center in the downtown area represents perhaps the most practical project advanced thus far.

It hinges, however, on Tuesday’s decision.

We encourage Jefferson City residents to cast a vote for growth and prosperity. Approve the lodging tax increase, Proposition A, on Tuesday’s ballot.

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hudson 2 years, 4 months ago

just say no to more taxes, more goverment!

JCsleeper 2 years, 4 months ago

Never wish a tax on someone else. You will probably be next. Still unhappy that the city kept the $800K from the ambulance/public safety tax. Should have refunded that back to the propert owners. Never another new tax or tax increase vote from this taxpayer.

melbrooks 2 years, 4 months ago

The Lake and Columbia are eating our conference center lunch. Let's not talk about a conference center for another 30 years--let's do it. I'm tired of paying this tax in St. Louis and Kansas City-- and when they come here, they get a free ride.

JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago

I think JC needs to think bigger than this tiny little conference center they are planning. We need a large COMMUNITY CENTER with large exposition space. We need a multipurpose "indoor arena" where concerts of 3000-5000 people can attend. How about indoor rodeos? Car shows?

Of course we need exposition and conference space, but I am thinking of a much larger facility with flexible rooms and dividers to accomodate many different groups of different sizes at one time.

I am VERY MUCH AGAINST building another motel. We already have very low occupancy rates in this town. Why does the city need to be in the motel business? Let private businesses build motels and expand current motels. Don't spend our tax dollars on building a motel. You just know that this thing is going to be a perennial money-loser that the city is going to have to cover with general revenue funds (resident's tax dollars).

VOTE NO ON THE CURRENT TAX INCREASE. MAKE THE CITY GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND DESIGN A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR US, NOT A CONFERENCE CENTER FOR THE STATE.

melbrooks 2 years, 4 months ago

Lifer, the city won't be in the hotel business--the hotel would be privately owned.

I agree the current plan set its sights too low, and there is a real need for additional exhibit space. There is time to revisit the plan and re-adjust.

herewego 2 years, 4 months ago

Just Say NO, NO, NO!

JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago

You just know that when this thing loses money they will take our tax dollars out of general revenue to pay for it.

waldo 2 years, 4 months ago

What surprises me is that all of the pro-ads don't mention the written agreements in place signed or not, that involve the Housing Authority, the City, Lincoln and the Erhart Group (Hotel Developer and potential convention center management company). In these agreements it notes the convention center will be a minumum of 34,000s/f. To me that indicates the overall size of the facility. If you take out about 10,000s/f for public space, storage, hallways and service corridors it leaves about 24,000s/f of event space. Now, the Capitol Plaza has 22,000s/f, the Truman has 24,000s/f so basically the new tax will help a like sized new hotel open in town. We compete with the Lake, Columbia and of course St. Louis and KC. At the Lake Tan-Tar-A has 93,000s/f of event space. The Lodge has over 60,000s/f and even Columbia Executive Center has 36,000s/f of meeting space. And of course KC & STL both have tons of space. So who are we supposed to take business from in JC? And there are only 2 hotels in town that support this initiative - Motel 6 and Candlewood. And the Candlewood is an Erhart Hotel. If all of the other htoels are against it, could there be a flaw in their plan?

waldo 2 years, 4 months ago

Now let's talk tax rates. With this increase the tax rate for hotel rooms in JC will be 14.725%. In competing with Columbia their tax rate is 11.35%, the Lake 10.225% to 12.7255%, St. Louis 14.866% to 15.741% and KC is 15.35%. Wow! I guess the people coming to JC will find everything here to do as they do in the big cities since our tax rates are comparable - NOT!!! It's rediculus!!! This is the wrong plan at the wrong time. It's a field of dreams - build it and they will come - NOT!!!! I understand that the owners of the Capitol Plaza were approached. From looking at their web site they manage over 5.4 million square feet of exhibition space. Don't you think if it had been a good plan they would have jumped at the chance.

wcywing 2 years, 4 months ago

what?! JC will have a higher tax rate than Columbia, the Lake, and St. Louis. i don't think this will have the effect JC will be looking for.

justaword 2 years, 4 months ago

Let me relate my observations staying last year in downtown Houston, Texas on business. I was shocked to see the motel tax. Houston has a sports taxation authority passed by the voters to extract considerable resources from all travelers. I have no doubt it benefits team owners and developers, but wonder what it does for the tax payers at large.

Taking a local newspaper with me, I learned this taxing authority is near bankruptcy and requires more money. We realize this is a bailout on top of a subsidy. If socialism is re-distributing wealth from top to bottom, what would we term distribution from bottom to top?

For once, Graceful, (top post thread), and I agree.

JCLifer 1 year, 5 months ago

The rich good ol' boys are out of touch. Don't they know we are in a recession and people are hurting? We cannot afford more taxes right now, especially for this frilly stuff that does not benefit the common JC citizen.

VOTE NO.

Next year we will have the school tax.

WE ARE IN A RECESSION, PEOPLE!!!

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