Tulsa City Councilors joined hotel and motel owners, tourism officials and residents for a spirited discussion on the city’s proposal to increase lodging taxes during a Monday meeting on the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa campus.
The town hall centered on a proposal to raise the city’s guest tax from 5% to 9.25%. The tax increase would only apply to hotels. It also would also impact short-term stays, or guests staying less than 30 days. Stays longer than 30 days and property taxes would be exempt.
Proponents are pushing for the tax hike proposal to be put on the city’s August ballot.
About 50 attendees filled the campus auditorium. City councilors mostly listened while speakers voiced their views.
“We will continue to develop a proposal and provide additional public input later this year at city council meetings,” District 5 Councilor Karen Gilbert said during the discussion.
Gilbert favors discussions like the town hall that help inform voters as the council pushes for a vote.
Renee McKenney, a senior tourism official for the Tulsa Regional Chamber, was flanked by other promoters of the tax hike.
“It is very important that we bring together a collaborative effort to look at what money we are leaving on the table,” McKenney told the Flyer.
“And when we look at other cities … using other people’s money is a great way to make sure we take care of our assets here and make sure that we are bringing in the visitors and exploring our city and leaving their money in our city,” she added.
McKenney pointed out that the city has not revised its hotel and motel guest tax in four decades. It’s time for Tulsa to make a change, she said.
By comparison, Oklahoma City has raised its hotel/motel tax rate to 9.25%. Midwest City, an OKC suburb, also increased the lodging tax to 9.25%. And Norman is seeking to hike its rate to 10%.
Keller Taylor, vice president of the BOK Center and Arvest Convention Center, said the revenue gained from the hotel tax would also support the venues and help keep Tulsa competitive as a tourism destination.
“It is great for us to see they are coming, they are staying and they are exploring in our city,” Taylor said. “It is evident to see that people come to Tulsa and they enjoy what we have here.”
The money gained from guest tax rate increases are commonly put into infrastructure investments, McKenney explained, and that is exactly what she wants to see happen in Tulsa.
“We can put it back into our buildings, back into our community — reinvest in our city. That’s where those dollars come from and we do not want to leave that on the table,” McKenney said.
Mayor Monroe Nichols’ office has previously expressed frustration that councilors do not want to place a sales tax increase alongside the hotel/motel hike on the August ballot.
Nichols’ office says he has not been included in council discussions about the ballot initiatives. But McKenney told the Flyer she and others have been in touch with the mayor’s office about the proposal.
“We talk to the mayor all the time,” McKenney said. “We are very engaged with that and the city council in making sure everyone is all on board.”
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