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Officials in Arnold decide to put hotel tax on April ballot
By Sterling
Levy, special to the Post-Dispatch Arnold will seek voters' approval in April for a 5 percent hotel-motel tax to promote tourism. If approved by a majority, the tax would be one of the larger municipal tourism taxes in the metropolitan area. The City Council voted Thursday night to put the measure on the ballot. St. Louis and St. Louis County have tourism taxes totaling 7.25 percent. Bridgeton and Maryland Heights add municipal tourism taxes, and St. Charles has a similar tax. The local tourism taxes effectively range from one-fourth of 1 percent to 2 percent, although in most cases the rate is lower than 1 1/2 percent. In Jefferson County, there is no countywide tourism tax. Only Festus has a tourism tax, newly approved at 2 percent. Enabling state legislation specifies only certain cities and counties as eligible to submit a tourism tax to voters and then collect it if approved. All tourism taxes are in addition to the regular sales tax. In Arnold that tax now totals 6.975 percent. Arnold's tourism tax would generate an estimated $170,000 annually. It would go into effect next July 1. A commission would be established to make recommendations to the council on the use of the money generated. "There's nothing better than a tax that someone else pays for," Councilman Phil Amato, 3rd Ward, said. But officials acknowledge that the state enabling legislation and the required wording of a municipal ordinance were vague as to what constituted tourism. Most members agreed that the money could pay for the annual summer fireworks display which Arnold has been providing through general spending, even though the event primarily was for residents. Councilman David Venable, 2nd Ward, said Arnold had a number of natural outdoor sites that were "waiting to be developed" to attract tourists as well as residents. The tax would apply to room occupancy as
well as docking-facility boat-slip rentals used for overnight stays in
Arnold. |
