If all of the people who complain about the use of Hotel tax funds would do a little research, they would find that state law has very specific requirements for what the money can be use on. It CAN'T be used for schools enterances, teacher raises, road construction, etc. I wish the Advocate would do a story on this to educate all the people who are constantly whining about it.
Using a quick Google search I was able to find this nice summary of the requirements:
USE OF LOCAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUES
There is a two-part test that every expenditure of local hotel occupancy tax must meet to be valid.
Criteria #1: Every expenditure must DIRECTLY enhance and promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry. A funded event or facility must be likely to do two things:
1. Directly promote tourism (Tourism is defined under Texas State law as bringing visitors from outside of the city into the city or its vicinity)
2. Directly promote the convention and hotel industry (This requirement has consistently been interpreted by the Attorney General’s Municipal Affairs Section and by the Texas Municipal League. They have historically indicated that to directly promote hotel or convention activity, the event must be likely to cause increased hotel or convention activity.) If the funded activity or event or facility is not reasonably likely to have such an effect, local hotel occupancy tax revenues cannot be funded. It is important to note that state law also provides that the hotel occupancy tax may not, in any circumstances, be used for purposes that the city usually expends its general revenues. It also may not be used to pay for governmental expenses that are not directly related to increasing tourism and hotel and convention activity.
Criteria #2: Every expenditure of the hotel occupancy tax must clearly fit into one of six statutorily provided categories for expenditure of local hotel occupancy tax revenues.
The six categories for expenditure of the hotel occupancy tax are as follows:
1. Funding the establishment, improvement, or maintenance of a convention center or visitor center.
2. Paying the administrative costs for facilitating convention registration
3. Paying for advertising, solicitations, and promotions that attract tourists and convention delegates to the city or its vicinity.*See Minimum.
4. Expenditures that Promote the Arts (However, it is not enough that a facility or event promotes the arts; state law requires that the expenditure also must be likely to directly promote tourism and the hotel and convention industry).*See Limits.
5. Funding Historical Restoration or Preservation Programs. *See Limits
6. Fund Costs in Smaller Counties to Hold Sporting Events that Substantially Increase Hotel Activity.
What are you talking about OverTheHill? Victoria College has a board of trustees that is elected by the citizens of Victoria County.
From the article it sound like neither Victoria or Refugio County wants to make this an issue. So the question is who is making this an issue?
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If all of the people who complain about the use of Hotel tax funds would do a little research, they would find that state law has very specific requirements for what the money can be use on. It CAN'T be used for schools enterances, teacher raises, road construction, etc. I wish the Advocate would do a story on this to educate all the people who are constantly whining about it.
Using a quick Google search I was able to find this nice summary of the requirements:
USE OF LOCAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUES
There is a two-part test that every expenditure of local hotel occupancy tax must meet to
be valid.
Criteria #1: Every expenditure must DIRECTLY enhance and promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry.
A funded event or facility must be likely to do two things:
1. Directly promote tourism (Tourism is defined under Texas State law as bringing visitors from outside of the city into the city or its vicinity)
2. Directly promote the convention and hotel industry (This requirement has consistently been interpreted by the Attorney General’s Municipal Affairs Section and by the Texas Municipal League. They have historically indicated that to directly promote hotel or convention activity, the event must be likely to cause increased hotel or convention activity.) If the funded activity or
event or facility is not reasonably likely to have such an effect, local hotel occupancy tax revenues cannot be funded. It is important to note that state law also provides that the hotel occupancy tax may not, in any circumstances, be used for purposes that the city usually expends its general revenues. It also may not be used to pay for governmental expenses that are not directly related to increasing tourism and hotel and convention activity.
Criteria #2: Every expenditure of the hotel occupancy tax must clearly fit into one of six statutorily provided categories for expenditure of local hotel occupancy tax revenues.
The six categories for expenditure of the hotel occupancy tax are as follows:
1. Funding the establishment, improvement, or maintenance of a convention center or visitor center.
2. Paying the administrative costs for facilitating convention registration
3. Paying for advertising, solicitations, and promotions that attract tourists and convention delegates to the city or its vicinity.*See Minimum.
4. Expenditures that Promote the Arts (However, it is not enough that a facility or event promotes the arts; state law requires that the expenditure also must be likely to directly promote tourism and the hotel and convention industry).*See Limits.
5. Funding Historical Restoration or Preservation Programs. *See Limits
6. Fund Costs in Smaller Counties to Hold Sporting Events that Substantially Increase Hotel Activity.
What are you talking about OverTheHill? Victoria College has a board of trustees that is elected by the citizens of Victoria County.
From the article it sound like neither Victoria or Refugio County wants to make this an issue. So the question is who is making this an issue?