Editor,
The Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation is promoting an ordinance — without most businesses and residents being aware — that would require hotel customers in the town of Comfort to pay an additional 7% county Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) on top of the 6% state HOT they already pay (13% combined rate).
According to the EDC plan, this would be used to promote the tourism industry primarily in Comfort. But at the July 22 Commissioner’s Court meeting, it was revealed that this tax would apply to all hotels, motels, B&Bs, short term rentals (STRs), transient apartment buildings and transient condos in the unincorporated county areas as well (Bergheim, Kendalia, Sisterdale, Waring, Welfare, etc.). Proponents of this additional tax claim it will be a “silver bullet” to stop the loss of businesses in Comfort; but the city of Boerne is also losing businesses even though they have this additional, local tax (the Boerne HOT tax is poorly administered and includes numerous permitting fees and regulations).
From my perspective, the real problem isn’t a lack of advertising or promotion. It’s rising property taxes, labor rates, interest rates, rents, inflation and certain structural issues.
Relying on tax increases to generate revenue is a short-term solution that doesn’t address underlying economic challenges or promote sustainable growth, despite what the EDC is telling the community.
The bottom line is that it shouldn’t be the taxpayers’ burden to support struggling businesses. There are more creative solutions to address this issue. It’s unreasonable for local business owners to expect taxpayers to rescue them instead of exploring other ways to boost their business and grow the local economy.
Incidentally, only 33 counties in Texas levy a county hotel occupancy tax (e.g., typically heavily populated ones like Bexar County). There are 254 counties in Texas.
— Lance Kyle Boerne resident
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