Council Says Yes to Hotel Room Tax Bylaw
Prince George, B.C.- The City of Prince George is putting the final touch on the application to extend the hotel room tax ( now called the Municipal and Regional District Tax).
The current agreement which allows the tax to be collected will expire at the end of this year.
The funds gathered through the tax (which is paid by those who are staying in a hotel in Prince George) are used by Prince George Tourism to promote the community and the region.
In order for the tax to be considered for extension, Prince George Tourism would have to gain consent from 51% of accommodation owners, representing 51% of the total number of rooms. Tourism Prince George has collected more than the minimum, obtaining consent of 71% of the accommodations owners, representing 72% of the total number of rooms.
“71% consent, that’s good news, I’m sure they are seeing the value in what Tourism Prince George is doing” says Councillor Brian Skakun.
The only real change in the hotel tax, is the name change.
The only thing left for the application is for City Hall to approve a bylaw for the continuation of the tax, and add that bylaw to the package being sent to the Province for final approval.
Last year, the hotel room tax collected $740,399.
In order to expedite the application, there will be a special meeting of Council on Wednesday (September 10th) over the noon hour for the fourth and final reading of the bylaw.
Comments
And of course with the winter games arriving, they have to be sure to “”on those people too.
Maybe those who thought the games was such a good idea can open their homes for free to all the visitors who are supposedly coming to PG
Actually, I had a co-worker from Newfoundland try to book a Hotel in PG during the winter games to see their son compete in the Winter Games and they can’t find a room. Flights are sold out as well they need to fly into Quesnel and drive up.
I would say there will be a large number of people showing up for these games. You have to remember that this is likely not a unique situation. Any athlete that competes probably has at least 2-3 family members that are also coming. Then there’s also all the coaches and support people that come from each of the Provinces as well.
You simply know that it is a joke of a tax when the name of it gets changed!
Waiting to Palopu to come in with his personal definition of a tourist.
So the hotel tax funds Tourism PG, now we need to devise a tax to have others pay for IPG.
Changing the name to include the Regional District and trying to indicate that they get some benefit from this tax is a bit of a stretch. The people who benefit the most from this tax is the City of Prince George. It allows them to fund the tourist bureau to the tune of $750,000.00 per year, and have it paid for by shoppers from the outlying area. They get the elevator and citizens in the outlying area get the shaft.
This tax doesn’t apply on people in RV’s who stay in Prince George in parking lots or campsites, so in effect a lot of legitimate tourists don’t pay the tax, however a person coming to Prince George from say Vanderhoof to shop 26 times a year and stays in a hotel will pay the tax every time.
JohnnyBelt considers these shoppers to be tourists, however I disagree. Tourist don’t usually buy thousand of dollars in merchandise per year, go to hockey games, and the casino on a regular basis, buy cars, etc;
This tax is just another smoke and mirrors bylaw put in by the City of GOUGERS.
The tax in essence reflects the total lack of appreciation that the City has for the people that give them such support. It is also a reflection on the character of those who run the City.
Palopu: “JohnnyBelt considers these shoppers to be tourists, however I disagree.”
It’s not my defintion. You also disagree with the International Tourism Association. I’m not sure what makes you more qualified than them to set the standard.
Maybe they should double the tax and fund IPG the same way
Maybe they should eliminate the Tourist Bureau and IPG, neither one of them makes a significant contribution to the City. Why do we need them.
Most tourists come through Prince George on their way to somewhere else, and we get them by default. What do we have in Prince George that would attract tourists on a regular basis????
When Prince George bid for the games, the application presumably discussed the adequacy of accomodation and transportation as well the sports facilities themselves. What did it say?
I think we should invest in a gate at each entrance to the city and charge an entrance fee. Kind of like getting into a zoo.
I have to say that there is a common theme among most of the threads on this site.
Everything Prince George does, hopes to do, or has already done isn’t worth CRAP, and several people consider themselves experts on everything in gods creation.
Just a personal observation…if everything is crap, not worth paying for, too stupid because you didn’t personally think of it…or INVENT it…then do those of us that don’t see everything as negative a favour…MOVE…get the F out of Dodge!All of us including you will be much much better off for it!
NyteHawk.
Whats wrong with pointing out the obvious.???? How can you have a discussion if everyone agree’s with the City, the Council, Staff, Tourist Bureau, IPG, Airport Authority, etc; etc; etc;
When you have a City that is going to celebrate its 100th year, which means they dealt with snow for 100 years, and yet last year, they couldn’t get the job done, someone better be raising hell.
When you build an Airport Runway Expansion which was completed in 2009 at a cost of $36 Million and 6 years later, no Aircraft have landed for tech stops, someone should be asking questions. The Airport Master Plan forecast stated that in 2015/16 we would have over 500 tech stops.
When you build a Police Station for $40 Million plus interest for a total cost of approx. $78 Million over 20 years when other areas of the City are going to rack and ruin. Someone had better be bitching.
I could go on, but you get my drift. This City needs some serious shaking up. They have had too many years riding the golden goose, and now must pay the piper.
On a side note. If you do not like the comments you see on this site, then of course you don’t have to read them. Furthermore a contrary position in a discussion is not being negative. Lastly you also have the option of getting out of Dodge, and if you are really concerned maybe you want to exercise that option.
Palopu
Interesting that I didn’t name names or pick anyone out in particular, yet you saw yourself in my post!
As for who should stay or who should go….pretty obvious to anyone with at least a double digit IQ that those that are always bitching and complaining about everything are not enjoying their time in this great City…I quite enjoy it here as does my family….so I repeat myself…those that can’t find anything positive to say about our great city….should get the F out of Dodge!
NyteHawwk. Its people like you who think that you have to be blowing a horn, dancing in the street, yelling like a banshee, or sucking up to the status quo, in order to be enjoying this City.
My family is a fifth generation family in this town, and I forgot more about Prince George and the surrounding area than you will ever know.
Im not about to sit idly by and watch a bunch of carpetbaggers drag this city into the gutter, and bankruptcy. I (and a number of others) are prepared to take the City to task when it pisses in the pickles.
Anyone can sit on the sidelines and cheer, however it takes a little bit more effort to beard the lion in its den.
I don’t need you to tell me how to enjoy this City, I am, and have been enjoying it for many years. I suspect that our interpretation of the word **enjoy** are quite different.
I try as much as possible to avoid the **herd mentality**. You might want to try doing the same.
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