Helton says extra money would help public safety
The Fannin County Board of Commissioners, during a meeting Tuesday, September 24, passed a resolution to raise the county’s Hotel/Motel Tax from 5 percent to 6 percent.
The resolution will now go on to the state legislature to be approved or disapproved during their next legislative session.
“First and foremost this body has to adopt a resolution saying that you want to go from whatever (5 percent) to whatever (6 percent),” County Attorney Lynn Doss said. “Then we would submit that to legislative council down in Speaker (David) Ralston’s office. They would then prepare the correct document to be advanced by Speaker Ralston and Senator (Steve) Gooch and that would take place some time during the 40 day session.
“Then it could happen in the first two weeks, it could happen in the last two weeks. We don’t know. Thereafter, the Governor signs it say by April 1, we could start collecting by July 1, because this board would then have to adopt a modification to the Hotel/Motel ordinance. … You can only start collecting on the first of the quarter.”
If passed by the legislature, the county will be bringing in approximately $400,000 in extra funds, which will be split 50/50 between the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce and the county. Chairman Stan Helton said the increase in revenue to the county would help to off-set some of the “stress” on the public safety departments.
“One of the things that we as a commission board have been struggling with is this bulging demand on our public safety; our law enforcement, our emergency workers, fire department,” Helton said. “This would be a very good way to alleviate some of that stress.”
Chamber of Commerce President Jan Hackett told the board what the chamber could spend the extra revenue on when stating, “$200,000 extra dollars that could be spent on either marketing or tourism product development, which is improvement of facilities that visitors use or parks. It could be bathrooms, it could be signs. It would be things that not only benefit visitors but residents too.”
The board held a workshop meeting before their regular meeting to discuss the potential change with members of the Chamber and lodging industry representatives.
Post One Commissioner Earl Johnson asked if making the change would impose a burden on the lodging industry.
Escape to Blue Ridge Cabin Vacations of North Georgia co-founder Doug Miracle said, “What will be the rule of when you have to collect 6 percent versus 5 percent? I think it’s at the time of the transaction, right? But you’re (the county) going to be looking for when the actual reservation stayed. So it gets tricky.”
“And that is my only concern as far as in that transition,” Johnson said. “I would just like that to be a smooth transition when it does happen and I don’t think that will be able to happen if we do something mid-season.”
The board agreed to coordinate with the lodging industry to ensure a smooth transition.
“I don’t see us making any kind of deadline that puts you folks in a bind,” Helton said. “The way I would see this, if we go through the process and we get this approved by the state, then we come back and sit down with all the affected parties and see what is the best time frame to enact this and make sure it’s a comfortable time frame.”