The biggest obstacle for the plan is expected to be those who would pay and collect the tax, particularly in west Bell County.
Last year the county approached State Rep. Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple, about authoring a bill to increase the hotel tax but eventually withdrew the request because of opposition in Killeen.
Since then the county paid $55,000 to a Minneapolis company - Convention Sports and Leisure - to study the Expo Center’s economic impact and its potential for expansion.
Commissioners hope the study bolsters support from west Bell County. Even if the Killeen City Council and Chamber of Commerce support the tax increase, other obstacles are present, such as who would introduce the bill.
Tuesday, commissioners agreed since Ms. Delisi has retired to try to have the measure introduced through state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce, Fraser said he is very familiar with hotel tax issues - but that does not make him an ally of those proposing the tax.
“Before I commit to where I’m going to be on it, I want to know how it is going to impact the people I am going to represent,” Fraser said. “This is not a position I normally look at favorably. The reason you have the tax is to bring more people into Bell County and fill in motel beds. Yes, I am a senior member and yes, I do have oversight, but I am going to look at this very hard before I commit either way. How is this plan going to fill motel beds?”
That will be one of the questions the county attempts to answer as it moves forward with its proposal.
For now, the plan is to introduce findings from the study to area Chambers of Commerce and city councils sometime after the November election.
From there, commissioners would look for letters of support from these entities. The letters would be delivered to Fraser.
It takes an act of the Legislature to increase the hotel tax past 13 percent, which is the current rate. Bell County would like its tax to be 15 percent. The two-percent difference would bring in an additional $700,000 a year, based on last year’s estimated collections.
Fraser said to receive serious consideration, the proposal would need widespread support beyond area politicians.
“The ones I want to hear from are the ones that have to collect it and pay it,” he said. “They’re half the picture.”
