June 6 election date set for vote on renewal of hotel tax

By Randy Bell

Clinton voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, June 6, for a special election on whether to renew a portion of the local tax that’s added to the bill of every hotel guest in the city.

A two per cent hotel tax which generates money for tourism is permanent. But under state law, an additional one per cent tax designated for parks maintenance has to be renewed every four years.

Mayor Phil Fisher says it’s a “headache” to have to go through this process to keep the tax, but he understands why the legislature started including the provision in bills requesting local tax levies.

“It makes sure that the cities and counties do what they say they’re going to do.” If local leaders don’t spend the tax revenue as promised, voters have the option of removing the tax.
In Clinton’s case, Fisher says the one per cent hotel tax pays for work that citizens may not notice.

“A lot of it is underground,” the mayor says, with money spent to repair pipes, control erosion and take care of other maintenance issues in the parks. Without the tax revenue, those expenses would have to come out of the regular City budget, with less money available for other needs across Clinton.

Fisher says the tax is an effective way to generate the maintenance funds.

“It’s money that out-of-towners are paying for staying in our city.” FIsher says the local hotels are maintaining an eighty-five per cent occupancy rate.

The special election will be held at the Traceway Park administration building, with the polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.