Committee backs request to amend state occupancy tax law, seeks authority up to 6%

A staff presenter described proposed language requesting the state amend the occupancy tax statute to remove an exemption and the local 3% cap and to allow the county to set a rate up to 6% for certain tourism-related uses.

"I will say that we discussed this with PEQ and the direction was not to exceed 6," the presenter said when explaining the draft Exhibit A and allocation language, which would direct revenues to tourism and related infrastructure, parks and water-resource conservation in Ontario County. The committee discussed whether the enumerated examples in the proposal were restrictive and were told the "including but not limited to" phrasing was intended to provide flexibility.

Committee members voted to move the resolution requesting state legislation; the motion passed by voice vote. The request is a formal ask to the state legislature and does not itself change local tax rates without further state action and local implementing local law.