News
BRECKENRIDGE — Town residents will vote this Election Day whether to increase the tax on hotels, motels and other accommodations to support marketing efforts for the town.
The proposal Breckenridge Town Council approved Tuesday asks for an increase of 1 percent on the lodging tax, from 2.4 percent to 3.4 percent. This would bring the overall tax one pays for accommodations to 11.68 percent.
Nobody spoke in opposition to the ballot-item proposal at Tuesday's public hearing, and the council votes were unanimous.
The town has pulled an increasing amount of money from other sources the past several years to keep its marketing fund competitive with other ski communities.
For 2010, $773,000 was taken from the town's excise fund (a major town revenue stream) to bring the town's marketing fund up to $1.8 million.
People from local lodging businesses initially expressed concern with the tax increase, which could cause thrifty vacation and convention planners to look elsewhere.
As part of the compromise that gained the lodging community's overall approval, the town is creating a seven-seat marketing committee — which includes three seats reserved for lodging representatives.
Councilman Mike Dudick worked extensively with town staff and the lodging industry to come to the agreement, and he called the ballot-item ordinance to vote Tuesday.
“Outstanding job by Mr. Dudick getting this where it needs to be,” Councilman Eric Mamula said afterward.
The ordinance was the third approved at the meeting regarding town marketing. The first two were with regard to forming the committee and to committing a set amount of the overall lodging tax to marketing instead of the excise fund.
A couple of people from the public spoke before the vote on the marketing committee ordinance with concerns about the committee's priorities and long-term functions.
Council members said the committee — which will serve council in an advisory capacity — will be given certain objectives that address those issues.
Town manager Tim Gagen said interviews for potential marketing committee members will begin in early September.
For more information on the financials associated with this proposal, see http://bit.ly/bMW6Jg.
SDN reporter Robert Allen may be contacted at (970) 668-4628 or rallen@summitdaily.com.
The proposal Breckenridge Town Council approved Tuesday asks for an increase of 1 percent on the lodging tax, from 2.4 percent to 3.4 percent. This would bring the overall tax one pays for accommodations to 11.68 percent.
Nobody spoke in opposition to the ballot-item proposal at Tuesday's public hearing, and the council votes were unanimous.
The town has pulled an increasing amount of money from other sources the past several years to keep its marketing fund competitive with other ski communities.
For 2010, $773,000 was taken from the town's excise fund (a major town revenue stream) to bring the town's marketing fund up to $1.8 million.
People from local lodging businesses initially expressed concern with the tax increase, which could cause thrifty vacation and convention planners to look elsewhere.
As part of the compromise that gained the lodging community's overall approval, the town is creating a seven-seat marketing committee — which includes three seats reserved for lodging representatives.
Councilman Mike Dudick worked extensively with town staff and the lodging industry to come to the agreement, and he called the ballot-item ordinance to vote Tuesday.
“Outstanding job by Mr. Dudick getting this where it needs to be,” Councilman Eric Mamula said afterward.
The ordinance was the third approved at the meeting regarding town marketing. The first two were with regard to forming the committee and to committing a set amount of the overall lodging tax to marketing instead of the excise fund.
A couple of people from the public spoke before the vote on the marketing committee ordinance with concerns about the committee's priorities and long-term functions.
Council members said the committee — which will serve council in an advisory capacity — will be given certain objectives that address those issues.
Town manager Tim Gagen said interviews for potential marketing committee members will begin in early September.
For more information on the financials associated with this proposal, see http://bit.ly/bMW6Jg.
SDN reporter Robert Allen may be contacted at (970) 668-4628 or rallen@summitdaily.com.
