Bed tax spike in Walton County, Florida [update: 1/2 cent approved]

Didn't mean to throw you under the bus, buddy...:wave: We are all in this together 🙂

No buses here. I just wanted to make sure the poster knew that they were paying more TDT taxes in case they thought they weren't. I think people would be surprised at how many destinations in Florida and throughout the southeast charge 5% or more TDT (or other short term rental taxes) on top of sales taxes and local option taxes already. Last I checked it was over 15 counties in Florida, with five counties charging 6%. I know Walton is limited to 5% max but I wonder how many people know they are paying 6+6 sales tax when they visit Mickey Mouse, South Beach, Jacksonville, etc. Not to mention, that Hilton Head, the Georgia Isles, etc. are at either 5 or 6% TDT and I believe Charleston, SC is around 7-7.5%.

Once again my bigger interest is in watching how base rental rates affect the movement of a visitor from one destination to another as belts are tightened. Sowal has largely been insulated in the past due to the overall, visitor demographic, and driving proximity to Nashville, B'ham, Atlanta, etc. even in spite of hurricanes. Will that trend continue? Will summer stay strong and spring and fall take a hit because families are only taking one vacation and not an extra spring or fall break trip. Will visitors want a smaller length of stay and how will that affect locations with minimum stay requirements? After watching it for a number of years, these are the things I am interested in.

Wrobert
Are you now, or have you ever attempted to be appointed to these Boards so that you have the opportunity to represent your beliefs? I realize you have a right to your opinion and I support that right, but it is obvious that you sitting on these boards would be a great benefit because of your passion. Although I may oppose most of what you say, I do believe you have a concern for your community.

ResortQuest has come out in favor of a 12.5 percent lodging tax increase on tourists in Walton County.



Question: How do management companies get paid when they do these vacations rentals? Is it flat fee or a percentage of the total bill? If it is a percentage is it before or after tax total?

ResortQuest has come out in favor of a 12.5 percent lodging tax increase on tourists in Walton County.



Question: How do management companies get paid when they do these vacations rentals? Is it flat fee or a percentage of the total bill? If it is a percentage is it before or after tax total?

The Walton County Tourist Development Council will ask county commissioners Tuesday to raise the bed tax by a half cent to 4.5 cents on the dollar to help fund marketing efforts it hopes will bring in more tourism revenue.

If approved, the TDC plans to use the more than $1 million in anticipated revenue to help market the Emerald Coast to a low-cost airline that would use the Panama City-Bay County International Airport, scheduled to open in May 2010.

Bay County, which raised its bed tax on short-term rentals to 5 percent in February, and the Bay county Airport Authority also will help pay marketing costs.

Mares anticipates "quite a bit of discussion" at Tuesday's commission meeting, but said he thinks a decision likely will be made that night.

"We have tried to provide as many answers to questions as we can anticipate (before the meeting)," he added.

The proposal already is meeting opposition by the Walton County Taxpayers Association, a local government watchdog group.

On its Web site, the association says the Beaches of South Walton has "placed a proposal on the agenda ... to increase taxes on rentals by 12.5 percent beginning June 1," and that the association's board has voted unanimously to oppose the hike.

However, Mares said the 12.5 percent figure is "somewhat deceptive."

"The tax is a half-cent increase; the percent of change from 4 cents to 4.5 cents is 12.5 percent. These are totally different ways to represent the proposed increase, and obviously will be confusing to most," he said in an e-mail.

Bob Hudson, president of the taxpayers group, said some companies have already signed contacts with renters with the 4 percent bed-tax included. If that goes up a 0.5 percent as proposed, some smaller lodging places that already are struggling will be left with the bill.

He said some association members will attend Tuesday's Commission meeting but did not know whether they will speak.

The last time Walton County's bed tax was raised was in 2004, when it went up from 3 cents to 4 cents on the dollar. The fourth cent was used for marketing to potential visitors and for beach maintenance, Mares said.

Southwest Airlines was mentioned several times at Wednesday's TDC meeting during a presentation about the results of a marketing study.

The presentation, given to show the possible new markets that the new airline would serve, focused on the cities Southwest already flies out of. The top five markets are Nashville, Houston, Orlando, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Mares said that with the right marketing, the local tourism industry could reach more than 3 million households that fit the demographic profile of visitors to South Walton.

The study determined the top markets by categorizing visitors by age, income and net worth. Also included was information such as their preferred lodging and dining preferences, magazines they read and the television and radio programs they listen to.

If I've missed something, then please correct me. Thanks.

Pura Vida.

What puzzles me the most is that our local tax watch dog groups are against this. Their mission statements are to protect the Walton County tax payer. They are lobbying against a "bed tax" paid by non-residents that will go toward a benefit for Walton County taxpaying residents. If the "bed tax" gets shot down, and Walton County still wants to attract more families to our area, then the cost will now come out of Walton County taxpayer wallets. So in a sense, these tax watch groups are lobbying against their own self interest.

If I've missed something, then please correct me. Thanks.

Pura Vida.

How is this money going to be spent to "attract" Southwest?

Are we going to bribe them to come here or are we going to fund some "committee" who will put together some kind of whiz-bang powerpoint presentation to Wow(!) them, and then take them out to wine and dine them till they cry "uncle?"

What if, after all this money is spent, they still say 'No.' Do you have a plan B?

In the end, it appears to me, with all the talk about "holding up our side of the bargain" and that a "decision will be made on Tuesday," it appears that an awful lot of talk has gone on behind the scenes, in the shade, out of the sunshine.

.

I do think that Andrew Jackson had the right idea though

In the meantime, lets give a little more respect to our local leaders. A good citizen always questions and thinks for themselves. But its helpful to remember that our officials do dedicate a lot of their time to an often thankless job. Rember the following words and if you think the job is not being done, then be a doer and not a monday morning quarterback...

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $575,000 grant to the Panama City ? Bay County airport to help attract a low cost carrier to the region and to help current airlines expand their service. The federal dollars will be matched by $529,500 in cash and in-kind contributions from the local business community.