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nadja (Anonymous) says…

No - I meant “whalla”! If I wanted to spell it voila, I would have.

I see, so if someone is perceived as having more money it's ok to tax more? Sounds like something Obama would come up with.

nadja (Anonymous) says…

Reaver, my point in mentioning Steamboat or Aspen was that their tax would be LOWER than Craig's proposed rate, and they have much more to offer in recreational opportunities. Can't compare to Denver either, that's like comparing apples to oranges, plus Denver has a convention center to pay off. Is Craig planning on providing the same amenities as Denver? Highly doubtful.

The tax if voted in does give the city free reign to do as it pleases with the funds. Over the years I've watched the MCTA squander many thousands of dollars on many bad decisions and many bad directors. The tax was in place and the money apparently seemed endless, and this was just at the 1.9% rate! Can you imagine how much more this 6.9% rate would generate? They simply don't need that much.

As far as shopping for the best lodging rates, it only takes a few minutes online. Type in any city + lodging tax, and whalla - google presents you with all the info you need!

nadja (Anonymous) says…

Reaver, if you read my previous posts you will note that I never said anything about being against taxes or government. Those are your words. But let's be reasonable here, everything needs checks and balances. I certainly do not believe government should have free reign to tax as they wish. That is part of the problem in our country right now. So it's only $5 bucks here and there, who will notice right? Wrong, it all adds up.

You certainly cannot compare Denver's lodging tax rate to Craig's. And for the record, I don't stay in Denver, I will always choose a suburb with a lower rate. The combination of the price of lodging and tax rate does affect my decisions.

You also need to learn how unemployment and social security is funded. Out of our own and our employers' pockets, not Uncle Sam's. At least that's not the way it used to work. We have a large segment of our population that believes that they're somehow entitled to much more than what they contributed, that's where the problem lies. This country is spinning out of control from all the entitlement demands. It's time to bring that to a halt.

My point about the bad economy is that everyone needs to suck it up - so government should do likewise, instead of looking for more ways to tax.

nadja (Anonymous) says…

Melody, the problem is that I was not aware of what the total tax would be. I went through previous articles to see if I had missed it. I didn't miss it - it was simply not reported as to what the total tax would be. I kept reading about 6.9% and many people were under the impression that is what the total tax would be.

I'm not against a modest tax. 1.9% generates a sizeable amount of revenue for marketing purposes. Craig is not a Steamboat or Aspen and does not offer the recreational infrastructure to warrant a high lodging tax rate.

As far as fighting this tax, I believe the local lodging industry should be involved and a lot more vocal. I'm complaining primarily because I'm against ridiculous increases in ANY tax. With the economy in the dumper, everbody is having to suck it up and make do with what they have. The private individual has to do that, so should our politicians, whether it be on a local or national level. This idea of imposing new taxes every time the politicians want something is getting out of hand in this country.

nadja (Anonymous) says…

Thanks for the clarification Melody, however I believe a total tax of 14.05% is still too high. I don't think most people realize exactly how high the tax already is and how much worse it's going to be if this passes. I found out a couple weeks ago when I needed to book local lodging for guests.

Like I said, I'm ok with 1.9% and feel that is in line with what is being charged in other communities.

I travel frequently and I do avoid communities that charge ridiculously high tax rates. This community is trying to attract visitors, not discourage them from staying here. In all my travels I have not stayed anywhere that charges over 10-12% total tax, and often its much less.

In my opinion it would have been wiser for the city to try and work with the MCTA rather than starting a new entity with basically the same goals.

nadja (Anonymous) says…

The lodging tax rate proposed by the City Council is insane! As I posted in another thread, the rate here is already 9.05%, of which 1.9% is a lodging tax. Add another 6.9% and you'll have the highest rates in the state of Colorado. Aspen charges a total of 10% tax, of which 1% is specifically a lodging tax.

I reviewed previous articles and its obvious that most folks don't know what the curent tax rates are, or what the new one would be if this passes. The new rate would be a whopping 16.04%!! Steamboat's total tax is 11.4%.

For the record, I do not work in the lodging industry, nor do I have any association with that industry in any way. I'm simply shocked and appalled that our city council believes they can shove this through under the guise of not affecting locals. The 1.9% tax the county collects is more than sufficient and in line with what other communities charge.

nadja (Anonymous) says…

Up until this past weekend I was not aware that the tax on lodging here is already 9.05% - yes, almost 10%! So add another 6.9% and that's pretty darn steep. Not to mention that it's difficult to even find a room for under $100/per night.

This tax does affect locals that need to use hotels/motels for guests and family events.

The city has not provided a clear plan for the money they will be collecting, and I'm assuming this is in addition to the funds that the MCTA collects as well, which in my opinion has not had a good track record in accomplishing any set goals with the funds.

This new tax may appear to be a great deal for residents, but it's nothing more than a money grab and yet another tax burden. VOTE NO!