The Moore County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday evening to not increase the room occupancy tax to help pay for a projected $13 million sport complex south of Aberdeen.
The county Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) board requested the commissioners to double the tax paid by visitors, together with the lion’s share going to bolster golf marketing efforts. A third of it goes toward business growth, such as the sport complex.
That turned out to be one of the rubs for its commissioners. They were angry that country Rep. Jamie Boles had been considering legislation regarding the way the space tax revenues are spent without even consulting them.
Commissioner Frank Quis, that chose to deny that the room tax increase, stated he talked with CVB Board Chairwoman Bonnie McPeake and CVB President and CEO Caleb Miles, individually, about three months ago at the request of Commissioners’ Chairwoman Catherine Graham to let them know ” that it was the desire of the board that we would not proceed with all the sport complex or increasing the space tax.”
Quis, that serves as the county’s representative about the CVB board, also explained those were “informal conversations” because the commissioners hadn’t taken any formal activity.
The commissioners didn’t suggest how they felt concerning the projected room tax increase and using some of the money for the sports complex following a final plea from McPeake and Miles at an all-day work session Aug. 30.
Quis stated in a brief interview following the meeting ended Tuesday that based on conversations with individual commissioners since then, not one of these supported the sport complex or increasing the space tax.
Just prior to the CVB’s yearly meeting last Thursday, Quis advised the commissioners that he and some other CVB board members discovered that there was a replica of legislation which Boles had drafted and that he was able to acquire a copy of it.
Quis not one of the commissioners or county staff members were aware of it. He said this was talked about and studied long enough.
“Tonight, let us set an exclamation point about the request,” he explained.
Commissioner Otis Ritter, who seconded the motion, stated to Quis, “In light of everything I heard you say that legislation has been going through and this board wasn’t even informed, I see no reason to disturb ourselves for this”
Quis stated in the interview following the meeting ended that their motive for denying the request from the CVB to raise the room wasn’t only because they were left outside of this loop possible legislation Boles had drafted. He stated the commissioners didn’t support the planned sports complex or increasing the space tax to help pay for it.
“I think our efforts would be better placed elsewhere in terms of growth of amenities for our citizens, and we’re addressing a number of these together with the Hillcrest Park developments,” he explained.
The commissioners voted unanimously last month to take $2.7 million from the reserves to help pay for constructing a recreation centre with 2 health clubs and multi-purpose rooms at the county park on N.C. 22 near U.S. 15-501 in Carthage.
McPeake, that was in the crowd but wasn’t permitted to address the commissioners, said she was frustrated with their choice.
“I’m really sad,” she explained. “They made the wrong choice. They’ve no vision for this county. This complex may bring earnings and jobs to the county. This is something which could benefit the entire county. We put a great deal of time and energy into this.
“The supermajority of this resort sector supports it. We now have two that do not.”
McPeake was referring to Pinehurst Resort and Pin Needles/Mid-Pines, that have chairs on the CVB board. They opposed with any cash from the space tax for the sport complex, strengthening their guests will bear a larger burden.
The N.C. General Assembly enacted a local invoice in 2015 providing the commissioners the authority to elevate the room tax — that hotel guests pay — from 3 percent to 6%. The previous Board of Commissioners stated there must be unanimous support in the tourism sector for increasing the taxation and using some of the money to help build the sport complex.
The present 3 percent tax generates more than $1.5 million annually, County Manager Wayne Vest stated.
McPeake stated she asked Graham to postpone action in their proposition for a month to give them time to attempt to resolve some of the commissioners’ issues and that she refused.
She added that even she was oblivious of this legislation Boles had drafted until just prior to the CVB board interview a week. She stated there was “nothing underhanded about it”
“It’s the farthest thing from the truth,” McPeake said. “It was something which was intended to attempt to resolve their (commissioners’) issues. They didn’t need any of the debt in their books”
Boles, that wasn’t at the meeting Tuesday evening, said in a telephone interview that there’s “no legislation”
“Nothing was introduced,” he explained. “We had been batting around some thoughts. It turned out to be a discreet draft which leaked by a lobbyist in Raleigh with no consent. Nothing was being done. There’s a huge misunderstanding here about the part of Frank Quis and Catherine Graham.”
Boles stated he talked with the two of these Friday to attempt to spell out the circumstance. In addition, he asked Graham to consider delaying a vote on the room tax increase.
Under the proposition Boles had drafted, state law could stipulate that one-fifth of the revenues from the greater taxation — when the commissioners had resolved to raise it — could be spent on business growth and the rest on advertising. Boles stated that could stop a prospective CVB board from reducing the sum for business growth, which was intended to assure the commissioners there could sufficient funding to cover the debt.
McPeake said that the CVB board voted 4-2 last week to ask Boles to back introducing any legislation regarding the room tax. MePeake stated she and David Byers appeared against.
She stated the commissioners were only with this issue as an excuse to justify their choice.
“They were looking for reasons to not try it,” she explained.
McPeake said she doesn’t understand what the CVB board’s next move will be on moving with the sport complex.
“We’re not giving up,” she explained. “We’ll return”
Boles said he hopes something could be carried out. He consented with McPeake that it will generate jobs and revenues for its county.
“We must consider every option that may produce new jobs and earnings from Moore County,” he explained. “We are going to need to locate extra funds other than relying on taxes”
source http://www.maharajahhotel.net/county-commissioners-reject-hotel-room-tax-boost/
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