After several failed attempts in past years, the Innkeepers tax has been increased from 3% to 5% after being approved Tuesday by the Montgomery County Council.
The tax is charged to those staying in county hotels, bed and breakfasts and cabins.
The tax is collected at the time of payment by those staying in accommodations and is sent to the county auditors office once a month by the entity collecting it.
The council voted unanimously to approve the increase which will be distributed to the Montgomery County Convention and Visitors Commission. The MCCVC entertains requests for events from 501c3 entities in the county. Also, the commission funds the county’s Visitors Bureau.
The Innkeepers Tax increase will take effect Jan. 1, 2027, and is estimated to be an additional $240,000 for the MCCVC.
After the meeting MCVB Director Heather Shirk said she was pleased to see the tax increase and believes it will benefit the county.
“I hope the additional funding can go toward adding more events for the county,” Shirk said. “This is good for the county as the commission decides what to do with the money. I am happy the council sees the benefits tourism brings to the county. It is nice to see a good partnership between those of us involved in tourism and our local government.”
Montgomery County Sheriff Ryan Needham reported the county jail needs a new security camera system. It is the same system that was installed when the jail was built over 20 years ago. Needham requested and received permission to use $34,870 from the Commissary Fund to purchase cameras. The commissary fund is derived from inmates commissary purchases.
In addition to the cameras, Needham requested $119,912 to upgrade the jail’s security system including hardware. The council wants the county commissioners to decide how to fund the request since the commissioners would have options including using the Cumulative Capital Development Fund.
The council accepted the 2027 budget from the Montgomery County Solid Waste Management District.
The council approved a request from the Animal Welfare League for an additional appropriation in the amount of $3,000 for operating expenses. The additional funds will be taken from the county dog tax fund.
Commissioners requested an additional appropriation of $250,000 to raze the Alamo High School Gymnasium. The council did not approve the request and asked commissioners to continue to look for grant money or other funding to tear down the structure.
Since the August council meeting there is a new owner of the Alamo property who has done some work to the existing structures and placed a fence around the property.
