ghost1000
05-27-2006, 05:11 PM
I just found this article on Mouseplanet's weekly park update (http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=wd060522mg):
Increase in tourist tax may be in the offing
More extra costs could find their way into your Disney travel budgets in the near future. Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, as well as representatives from the major theme parks and the hoteliers' lobbying group have all agreed on a plan that would raise the hotel room tax by one percentage point and impose an additional $2 surcharge on rental cars. The tax and surcharge cannot be implemented without legislative approval, however.
The tax must be approved by a vote of the Orange County Commission, requiring at least five of a possible seven votes. The county and city are still negotiating the spending plan for the proceeds of the bed tax. The surcharge was approved by the Florida legislature, but it is uncertain whether Governor Jeb Bush will sign or veto the measure. The surcharge faces further approval requirements by voters on the November ballot, but it can only be placed on the ballot if the funding agreement is approved by both the Orange County Commission and the Orlando City Commission in a matter of a few days. Both bodies meet early this week to consider the matter.
The new levy would increase the taxes at Disney hotels from 11.5 percent to 12.5 percent at hotels in Orange County. The hotels in Osceola County (Animal Kingdom Lodge and the All-Star Sports, Music and Movies Resorts) would presumably be unaffected and would remain at 13 percent.
The bed tax would be used to pay for promotion of tourism as well as construction of a new performing arts center, renovation or replacement of the TD Waterhouse Centre and renovation of the Citrus Bowl. The proceeds would be split roughly in half, with the balance of the distribution shifting after the first two years. The tax is expected to raise about $25 million per year.
The rental car surcharge, expected to raise $34-$38 million per year, would provide 25 percent of the proceeds to the Lynx public bus system, which would help to stabilize the funding for that community resource.
The tourism executives involved in the deal included Walt Disney World President Al Weiss, chief executives from Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando, and leaders of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association.
It hasn't taken effect yet, but the extra tax may be enough to convince some folks to look harder at DVC.
Increase in tourist tax may be in the offing
More extra costs could find their way into your Disney travel budgets in the near future. Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, as well as representatives from the major theme parks and the hoteliers' lobbying group have all agreed on a plan that would raise the hotel room tax by one percentage point and impose an additional $2 surcharge on rental cars. The tax and surcharge cannot be implemented without legislative approval, however.
The tax must be approved by a vote of the Orange County Commission, requiring at least five of a possible seven votes. The county and city are still negotiating the spending plan for the proceeds of the bed tax. The surcharge was approved by the Florida legislature, but it is uncertain whether Governor Jeb Bush will sign or veto the measure. The surcharge faces further approval requirements by voters on the November ballot, but it can only be placed on the ballot if the funding agreement is approved by both the Orange County Commission and the Orlando City Commission in a matter of a few days. Both bodies meet early this week to consider the matter.
The new levy would increase the taxes at Disney hotels from 11.5 percent to 12.5 percent at hotels in Orange County. The hotels in Osceola County (Animal Kingdom Lodge and the All-Star Sports, Music and Movies Resorts) would presumably be unaffected and would remain at 13 percent.
The bed tax would be used to pay for promotion of tourism as well as construction of a new performing arts center, renovation or replacement of the TD Waterhouse Centre and renovation of the Citrus Bowl. The proceeds would be split roughly in half, with the balance of the distribution shifting after the first two years. The tax is expected to raise about $25 million per year.
The rental car surcharge, expected to raise $34-$38 million per year, would provide 25 percent of the proceeds to the Lynx public bus system, which would help to stabilize the funding for that community resource.
The tourism executives involved in the deal included Walt Disney World President Al Weiss, chief executives from Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando, and leaders of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association.
It hasn't taken effect yet, but the extra tax may be enough to convince some folks to look harder at DVC.