Dana Point Mayor Lisa Bartlett voted for higher taxes!
What is it about OC GOP Republicans at the local level that leads so many of them to vote for higher taxes – when they come in the form of hotel taxes? Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle did this recently, by going after online travel bookings, and I got a note today from former Dana Point Council Member Jim Lacy indicating that this has happened again. Here is his message:
Just want you to know for endorsement review purposes in 2010 that Dana Point Councilwoman Lisa Bartlett voted this week to raise the hotel bedroom tax in Dana Point by $3 a night per room on top of 10% transient occupancy tax and state tax.
This won’t help Mayor Bartlett come election time, but these squishy Reeps never seem to learn…yet they call themselves conservatives. I think not!
Dana Point has relatively little sales tax revenue and probably pays its employees on par with cities with greater revenues. The bed tax is one of their cash cows.
I’ll bet the city manager told them that it wouldn’t keep visitors away.
BTW, that woman has really nice looking nails.
Shes kinda hot.
It may be a minor point, but this was not a tax, which would have needed voter approval, but a tourist enhancing district requested by the major hotels. They’ll take the money and use it to promote Dana Point tourism.
#4, seriously thou jesteth. A bedroom tax would go into the General Fund.
If the hotels want to promote themselves they can form their own association, or do it through the Chamber of Commerce.
The $3-per-room fee is a business improvement district for the four largest hotels in Dana Point that would not be a taxed fee. It is exempt from the Transient Occupancy Taxes.
Details:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/city-council-bid-2304369-dana-point
As well as the council’s decision to delay implementation until January as they watch the economy to see what happens:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/city-council-tax-2331558-hotels-marketing
And, for good measure:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/dana-point-city-2301497-teague-beach
Chris,
Thanks for the links and the clarification!
I am not a fan of BID’s. Did all of these hotels approve of this?
I would prefer to see them work together privately rather than have the government get involved.
Once the TBID was approved an RFP was issued to select the agency to conduct the advertising campaing. The committee is made up of the four large hotels with one city non voting member. The council voted 5-0 for the TBID. Three of those are up for reelection. It should be pointed out the former one term councilman Jim Lacy (never selected to be mayor by his peers) only picks on Bartlett. His display of sour-grapes has been on display for the past several years against the city and the council. He recently blogged how hotel taxes in Manhatten are lower than Dana Point. Maybe he should spend more time in New York, please!