Special Election on June 18, 2024 for a 2% Increase to the Lodging Excise Tax Rate

[Music] our next item is number 5B a public hearing consideration for the um for the purpose uh related to scheduling of a special election on June 18th for the purpose of submitting to register qualified voters of the city of edman the question of approval of a two% increase to the state to the lodging excise tax rate from 4% to 6% of the room rental rate um is visit edman given this presentation yes I am thank you mayor and city council I am Jennifer Thorton tourism director for visit Edmond and we wanted to just tell you a little bit about this um potential increase for the lodging tax also referred to as visitor tax so the the history on this is that in 1994 visitor I mean voters approved a 4% tax and that is still in effect and on February 20th um the visit Edmond tourism Advisory Board voted to recommend to city council and mayor to increase that to a 6% one thing that you just want to make sure that everyone understands that this tax funds tourism and and um when individuals and groups spend the night in edmin that is when they pay that so that could be a Airbnb that could be a vbo that could be a hotel and that could be a bed and breakfast these are some examples of places that you can stay in Edmund that I've me mentioned before um I wanted to kind of give you a comparison to other cities these are some cities um nearby in their lodging tax rate so we are the lowest at the moment and I think the most important thing is for you to understand how the um tax dollars are used so we have a tourism Advisory Board and we um give sponsorships to new and existing events um we recruit annual conferences for example like the Great Plains region um annual Ambu is coming to the Edmund conference center that is where visit Edmund is so we get to welcome lots of great conferences to Edmund we also are being proactive in bidding on some NCAA division to Men's Golf and men's and women's tennis and we also like supporting UC um they have amazing um sporting events for example the ossaa State High School Championship so our goal is to keep those and grow things like that and we do have support there's people in the in the room today and um I wanted to be sure you understand that sports facilities will benefit from this um the Chamber of Commerce is ready to um say vote Yes um visit Edmond is a city department so we can educate about this for voters but we cannot um say yes but local hotels and short-term rentals and the and the tourism board as well so I would love to answer any questions about this tax that could go to the voters on June 18th thank you uh this has been a long time coming a lot of conversations and I remember a time when even with the Airbnb we were not receiving loding tax from them and then we had meetings with them and then they came on board also so we're looking at that um um this is an opportunity for us to uh continue to tell the community about Edmund and the surrounding Community especially with all the conferences that we've currently had coming here uh this has the potential just to expand that even more very good yeah I'm I'm so excited about the possible increase in tourism activities that can come to our community um just from visiting with everybody on the tourism board I'm just I'm thoroughly impressed with how much everybody has supported this and has and supports their Community um it's not just a uh one man this is what I want for me it's what can we do for our community and um I just appreciate everyone being here I appreciate you taking times out of your busy lives to serve your community by serving on the board to further better your city and I'm just I'm super excited about this it's 30 years in the making um It's Time thank you for all of y'all's time and effort that you put into this and I think it's probably obvious to all of us but um I see this as a really really great investment visitors to our city pay a few more I think a dollar is it on average right like if for example if it was a $100 hotel room they would pay $6 that night so it'd be an additional well $6 total so an increase of $2 a night and what visit Edmund can do leveraging that to create more people coming eating spending money which then sales tax and that a lot of people still don't know but we are sales and use tax 100% at the city level right now and um just talked about our budget at the workshop this afternoon we had projected an increase of 2% we're looking at an increase of0 48% and so anything that we can do to increase that sales tax base which allows us to do all the things that people want us to do fix roads and parks and trails and all the things so this is not just spending money on getting someone to come to our town for nothing it's an investment that will um I think pay for itself many times over and our residents aren't paying it it's the visitors who come to our town right we are not taxing the residents or unless unless they stay at a station yeah which please do absolutely that'd be wonderful yeah is that full circle economic impact absolutely and thank you for all the work done and we are still going to be lower than everyone except Oklahoma City who's at 5.5% % and they have been at 5.5% for quite a while so everyone else is 7 and 8% sir mayor I'll just note um on your 2024 Council strategic plan you note uh on the promote tourism conference opportunities to enhance visitor experience and impact you identified expand tourism efforts by setting a date for visitors tax increase selection so this action would be one of the items to implement your Council strategic plan absolutely very good very good yes sir I have two things mayor uh I want to thank Miss sawer for hustling around and getting this done so quickly I know it was labor intensive and time sensitive so thank you for that and and on behalf of the work on the council uh councilwoman Peterson I know you've worked hard and I know you're passionate about this and all your work so thanks for getting this on our agenda thanks my so this is a um yes public Jennifer do you have anything else right now I don't there are a couple people that may want to speak on our [Laughter] behalf hello Jennifer Fields realtor Airbnb owner I'm on visit Edmond tourism board in the Arcadia elake commission so as an Airbnb owner I see this as very positive I don't think it'll affect booking I don't think that will have any impact at all um as being on the Arcadia Lake commission I see as that Master Plan grows we get more and more tourism throughout need for more hotels and then people are spending money I think we talk about it's an average of $65 for anyone who stays in our hotels local hotels that they spend in our businesses that's a lot of money so like you said it's full circle so I'm 100% support it very thank you very much hi Dena Jones I am a longtime resident of of Edmund I'm also the regional manager for Champion Hotels we own three of the hotels here in Edmond and many in the state um so I'm very familiar with those other cities that listed all their occupancy taxes um I think it is time for Edmond to make an increase um we were slightly um concerned about it being above Oklahoma City because we don't want to compete with a city that's way larger than we are um but I think we're going to be just find at six % and I think it's going to be something that's very beneficial for the city and I'm the current chair of the tourism board as well um so I feel like we have a lot of projects that are going to happen that will really make this work any questions for me thank you very much so this is a public hearing um yes is anyone from the audience please come up and state your name hello Connie there um I hear all these things about how this is going to be great for the community and everything and yes it could be but there is something that you guys aren't discussing is this is a special election right and that costs money why do we keep doing these special elections and causing the taxpayers extra burden that's my only comment my question thank you thank you very much ma'am any other comments from the audience so Council uh we have this is a public hearing consideration of ordinance number 3987 3987 amending chapter 3.12 lodging tax ordinance of the Ed municipal court code section 312-0100 lodging tax ordinance allowing informal reference to lodging tax as a visitor tax section 31203 0 levied amount amending tax rate to 6% of room rental rate to be used exclusively for the purpose of encouraging promoting and fostering convention and tourism for the City of Edmond requiring approval of ordinance by a majority of registered voters voting at an election held for such purpose in fixing an effective date therefore special election Proclamation and notice hereby authorizing the calling of a special election to be held on the 18th day of June 24 Public hearing and consideration of resolution number 9-24 9-24 authorizing the calling and holding of an election in the city of Edmund in the state of Oklahoma on the 18th day of June 2024 for the purpose of submitting to the registered qualified voters of said City the question of approval of ordinance number 3987 3987 to amend the lodging excise tax rate to 6% of the room rental rate all taxes collected shall be set aside and used exclusively for the purpose of encouraging promoting and fostering convention and tourism for the city of Edmund City Y yeah all right I will not read that again you take a motion I'll take a motion to approve I will entertain a motion for this item motion to approve we have a motion second we have a second is there any other discussion for this item Council no please cast your vote ad was [Music] pass

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