BILL NUMBER: S8482
SPONSOR: STEC
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the tax law, in relation to the use of revenues from
hotel or motel taxes in the county of Essex
 
PURPOSE:
To grant Essex County greater freedom to use its hotel occupancy tax as
the board of supervisors sees fit, similarly to most counties in the
state, for the promotion of tourism and economic development.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 - Amends subdivision 10 of section 1202-s of the tax law, as
added 2 by section 1 of part T of chapter 406 of the laws of 1999 so the
revenues from the county hotel tax would be deposited in the county's
general fund and used for the purposes of economic development and tour-
ism promotion.
Section 2 - Provides effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In August, the Essex County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution
seeking this change to the tax law.
The bill would grant the county board greater flexibility to manage the
use of its hotel tax for the purpose of tourism promotion and economic
development.
Further, county officials have expressed concerns that the existing law
violates state and local procurement laws.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S8482: 1202-s tax law, 1202-s(10) tax law