> News Elsewhere > Northern Chautauqua County

Email: "Bed tax amendment met with mixed response"
*To:		<--TO Email REQUIRED!
*From:		<--FROM Email REQUIRED!

MAYVILLE — County Legislator David Kleparek, D-Fredonia, took the first step in amending the bed tax allocation guidelines Tuesday by appearing before the Planning and Economic Development Committee, where his resolution was met with mixed response. Kleparek is looking to amend the bed guidelines so that all municipalities in Chautauqua County are guaranteed some amount of money each year. Chautauqua County imposes a 2 percent and a 3 percent tax on hotels, motels and inns. One-fifth of the 3 percent tax monies generated each year is earmarked for individual tourism projects happening the following year. To receive that money, event organizers apply for a bed tax allocation. Once all applications are in, the requests are reviewed and prioritized according to how beneficial they each are to the county. The location in which events happen is not presently a criteria item considered by the committee. The events are instead graded on how much tourism and business they will generate. “All we are looking for is some fairness and equity for all the communities across Chautauqua County,” Kleparek said Tuesday. “We’re asking here that some money be set aside for all the communities that are contributing to the bed tax allocation fund. ... This (legislation) is not to be a north-south division. This is basically to show a little bit more equity, to keep those numbers in a more fair and equitable amount being spread across Chautauqua County.” In favor of the amendment, Fred Croscut, R-Sherman, said he would be supporting it when it goes to vote before the full legislature. Having contacted Andrew Nixon, Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau executive director, Croscut said the CCVB supports the resolution and that the CCVB will still be receiving funding out of the 3 percent bed tax funds regardless of how the vote goes. Croscut also noted that the funding has to be applied for and that he doesn’t believe there have been as many requests from the northern end of Chautauqua County in recent years as the southern end, which is one reason why funding has not been equally distributed. Opposed to the resolution, Maria Kindberg, D-Jamestown, said she feels very strongly that the criteria which was established to allocate occupancy tax money was done so in the best interest of the taxpayers. “When we look at events, they’re really supposed to be benefiting Chautauqua County as a whole,” Kindberg said. “If an event is taking place in Clymer or an event is taking place in Jamestown, I look at them as equal and that hopefully the return on the investment is going to benefit all of Chautauqua County’s residents equally. “While I understand the intent of this language,” Kindberg continued, “I’m not sure that the result will equal the intent. I still want to base each proposed project on its merits and not on where it resides because, in the end, it shouldn’t matter if 100 percent of the bed tax funds go to Lakewood next year or if 95 percent of them go to Westfield if, in the end, all county taxpayers are well served. I think that’s the point of the legislation. And if we suddenly have to factor in where the activity or where the event takes place, I think you’d be doing that at the detriment of other events that would actually provide a greater return on investment for all of Chautauqua County.” Calling herself a resident of Chautauqua County, Kindberg said she doesn’t care where the bed tax revenue is generated as long as it’s the best benefit for all of Chautauqua County. Agreeing with Croscut, Shaun Heenan, D-Dunkirk, said he would be supporting the legislation — though he called it a work-in-progress and suggested it still needed a little massaging. Additionally, Heenan pointed out that tourism events funded with bed tax money not only serve to generate more bed tax money through those staying in hotels for the events, but benefit other businesses in the areas in which the events are held. The Planning and Economic Development Committee was split in its vote Tuesday, with Vicki James, D-Jamestown, also opposing it. “We set the motion going forward,” Kleparek said of the Tuesday evening Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting. “Obviously I think Legislator Heenan hit it best that it’s a work-in-progress and that we need to massage it a little bit more. This is the first step and I’m sure we’ll get some feedback from the rest of the legislators and we’ll go forward from that point.”

 

Subscribe to Post-Journal

Share: