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$2 hotel tax collections down
Published Thursday, June 25, 2009
NATCHEZ — Hotel tax revenues are lower than expected, and tourism officials are asking the state to see if properties are paying their taxes.
Collections of the new $2 hotel tax began in August 2008 after the special tax was approved on the June 2008 ballot.
Through April, $220,983 has been collected, Tourism Director Connie Taunton said.
The tourism department and the tourism marketing advisory committee, which oversees how the special tax funds are allocated, projected $396,000 in collections this year.
With only three months worth of collections left in the fiscal year reaching the projection won’t happen, Taunton said.
The economy and several large groups that have stayed in hotels but not been taxed per a compensation could be contributing to lower revenues, she said.
But also, Taunton said she believes some properties may not be paying their taxes.
In May, Taunton contacted the state tax commission to look into the matter.
“They’re going to check their records against the recordings of properties I sent them that we have that should be collecting,” Taunton said.
Some bed and breakfasts report quarterly, and the time to pay taxes may not have come yet, Taunton said.
The tax is used solely to market the city and while numbers are down, Taunton said some adjustments will have to be made.
“We’re cutting back, as bad as we hate to, on some ads and projects that we wanted to do,” she said. “We’ll write those into next year.”
And with the tax just recently implemented, Taunton said the first year was bound to be somewhat experimental.
Comments
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 11:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well duhhh !!!! Yall built it & they didnt come.What a suprise
Posted by natashakubelikov (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 12:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It,s backfiring on all the old idiots who discouraged new business for the last 40 years and made all the present business owners struggle to open or stay open. Rules and regs and silly bull that don,t mean beans to anybody but the GONE WITH THE WIND bunch....who,s ya daddy now??
Posted by Username (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 12:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Remember the campaign slogan for this hotel tax? It was " Jobs,Jobs,Jobs" (typical campaign lies). I said back before the vote that the only way any money would be made "to promote tourisim" would be from people evacuating from hurricanes in the gulf. Then who get's stuck paying the hotel tax once FEMA gets involved? Do you think that the board that has been created to "oversee" this tax would actually waive the tax for people just trying to flee to safety?
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on June 25, 2009 at 4:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder if anyone has looked at the numbers for the 3% room tax?
I wonder if anyone has figured the occupancy rate from the $2 room tax?
I wonder if anyone has looked at the numbers for the 1.5% hamburger tax?
I wonder if the CVB has a CLUE?
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 6:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You can't tax your way out of a problem.
Posted by pbnj (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 7:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh come on, sure you can!
Posted by knowsthefacts (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder if Connie still does her daily commute from Monterray, LA or if she bought a house in Natchez? It seems that someone who is Director of Natchez Tourism should also live in Natchez.
Posted by Joe (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Since the 'authorities' memory is clearly VERY short term, here is a little reminder: the occupancy tax law was written very cleverly to the benefit of the casino hotels so that they do not have to collect the $2 on rooms they comp to their gambling clients. Any regrets now for this incredibly STUPID arrangement? Or perhaps they are perfectly satisfied to see that potential revenue make its way into the coffers of mobsters in Las Vegas.
Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on June 25, 2009 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, what is the revised budget number? I figure it should be less than $300,000. Next year will probably not be any better.
I wonder how much of current year expenditures will flop/slop over into next year??
What is the "compensation" thing? And why was it not considered when the budget was prepared?
Surely, we are getting some detail about the $2 bed tax. Like who is paying and how much? Or is this some more gov'ment accounting, where we should be thankful for what we receive?
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
knowthefacts/ Thanks for your input-I did not this fact! there should be a requirement in their Job Description!
Posted by pride (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 4:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natashakubelov do you know the difference between a coma and apostrophe ?
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A coma is what Michael Jackson is in and a apostrophe are those that follow Jesus.
Posted by pride (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 6:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Scotty Michael Jackson has passed on .
Posted by brock (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 6:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just saw it myself a few seconds ago on the news . Michael Jackson has died of a heart attack .
Posted by brock (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Correction death the result of cardiac arrest .
Posted by natashakubelikov (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 11:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don,t really give a fat monkeys tail bout a apostorphe or any other abbreviation,but I can spell if i want too,I just don,t wanna sumtimes.
Don,t know much about breviations,but hell you can,t spell comma.....I kan spell comma ifen i wanna, sometimes i spells it right and sumtimes i don,t..comma is pelled comma...not COMA.
In medicine, a coma (from the Greek κῶμα koma, meaning deep sleep) is a profound state of unconsciousness. A comatose person cannot be awakened, ...
Posted by natashakubelikov (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 11:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just shut ur face about other,s abbreviations when you can,t even spell comma...fool.
Posted by beavis (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 5:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Connie should move to Natchez and pay taxes here if she wants a job here. By the way, why does a city employee get a city car? I think it is an inspection dept. car - I see it every morning going to work and in the evenings when he goes home - He passes my house. Who is paying for the gas, insurance, wear and tear on this car? Just a ballpark guess on the gas usage that taxpayers probably pay for - from about 3 miles down Morgantown road to City Hall and back is maybe 16 miles - that times 23 or so working days is 368 miles. I don't know what mpg this city car gets, but you all get my drift. And this is just going to and from work - surely if it is the inspection department - he does get out and inspect. Plus,wouldn't an inspection be done during the day? Correct me if I am wrong about the department and the needs of the department, but I have seen this car for several years now and I am curious. How does that work with the insurance, etc.? The deletion of personal use could be a start towards saving someone's job.
Posted by pride (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 3:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natubethefool why don't you go back and get your GED you ignorant clown . You just don't wanna because you don't know how . Go back and graduate elementary school , you fool !
Posted by butch (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 3:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natube is also ignorant . Don't be so sensitive . Just go back to school and take a reading and typing class .
Posted by pride (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natibblybube has a history of ignorance on these posts . The correct spelling for your is not ur . On here with that pig latin .
Posted by natashakubelikov (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 10:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Was that coma or comma? maybe perfect spelling and punctation makes everybody feel more intelligent or on a higher level. They are folks that have no idea what a comma is that are on a much higher intelligence level than anyone who contributes to this measley comment section.
Posted by natashakubelikov (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 10:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey pride thats comma not coma,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,nit..........................hahahaha
Posted by pride (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natubefool who typed that for you ? It's obviously not your work . You are too stupid to even know how to formulate a basic sentence . What are you going to do when that kid has to go home ? It's back to your incompetent self again . Go get your GED you idiot !
Posted by pride (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 11:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natubefool is this more of how you really write ?
" i ur from natchaz an i is a stupied fool . i ain,t gat no learnin becus i too dum . it,s not me faut i so dum. wise does peoples alway,s pick on me,s how,s i rite . Gaud gives me the powar to rite good elish . "
Posted by butch (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 11:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I've seen this idiot write just like that . It's too late to get smart . Who writes for you a toddler ?
Posted by pride (anonymous) on June 26, 2009 at 11:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Natubefool is so stupid he still thinks that the earth is flat . He got mad because others didn't agree with his dumb tail .
Posted by BRL (anonymous) on June 27, 2009 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
About the downtown employee driving to work and the expense incurred because of it. I would say it helps tourism since the employee doesn't have to park his or her car downtown, and when out inspecting for the city, a space is freed in the downtown for someone else to park during the daytime; and that probably looks better to a tourist, who wants to see the history of the buildings, and doesn't have to look past the city inspection vehicle at night time. Not a bad deal for Natchez, freed up parking for downtown businesses during the day, and a less cluttered street for tourist taking a stroll, carriage ride, or drive during the evening.
I realize this is off the subject a bit, but since the original article was about tourism, this seemed appropriate.
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