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June 22, 2010

City Council approves hotel tax increase

Charles Oliver charlesoliver@daltoncitizen.com

The Dalton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) expects to get an extra $35,150 in revenue the final quarter of 2010, thanks to an increase in the local hotel/motel tax signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue earlier this month.

The bill raised the hotel/motel tax in Whitfield County to 7 percent from 6 percent. On Monday, the City Council voted 4-0 to approve the increase and dedicate all of its share of the tax to the CVB. City Attorney Jim Bisson said the measure will take effect Sept. 1.

The CVB currently has a budget of about $380,000, and officials expect the additional tax will bring in roughly an additional $100,000 a year.

CVB Executive Director Brett Huske said the agency will use the money to try to bring in sports events, professional meetings and other events that will generate multi-night stays at local hotels.

“We were just down viewing the 2010 (Georgia) Police and Fire Games. We are going to be bidding on that for 2012 and 2013. That’s an example of what we’ll be doing. We’ve also currently got a wrestling tournament that we are pursuing,” Huske said. “Each one of these events either has a bid fee or some type of cost associated with it, so those are some of the areas we’ll be spending those funds on.”

The council also voted 4-0 to approve a new compensation policy for all employees below department head. The policy requires, among other things, that new employees hired at a salary above the mid-range for that position have the approval of the city finance committee. It also says that employees cannot receive a pay raise that puts them above the maximum pay range for their position.

 

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