Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Uploaded: Tuesday, January 8, 2013, 5:54 PM                                             

Hotel taxes and even-year elections  

by Jessica Lipsky

Posted by Carol Lopez, a resident of San Ramon, on Jan 9, 2013 at 7:54 am

The link to Roz's blog is not correct - could you please correct it so we can link to her blog?

carol Lopez

Posted by Dave, a resident of San Ramon, on Jan 10, 2013 at 11:53 am

Carol:

She did say even year elections, "even if we have to vote ourselves an extra year". A year late, but it is worth $250,000 this year. There is so much to consider first in the 118 items placed in front of us by staff for considerations plus fee increases. The election consideration will likely come after the budget process and benefit future years if we agree with Roz. The low TOT is a plus while we work toward a City Center with a four star hotel including sales tax and property tax generation worth more than the increased TOT. This City Center is so important to the city's future.

Posted by Roz Rogoff, the San Ramon Observer, on Jan 10, 2013 at 7:06 pm
Roz Rogoff is a member (registered user) of San Ramon Express

Here's the link to my blog on TOT Web Link

Dave,

I remember you said something at the Budget Workshop about not wanting to discourage hotel occupancy. Maybe I'm being classist, but anyone who could afford to stay in a 4 star hotel at $200 and up a night wouldn't even notice an extra $2.50 on their bill.

Also "A bird in the hand," as they say. That City Center has been in the bush for five years already. Why not take a small increase in TOT now? It could be another five years or more until that four star hotel has any occupants to tax.

Roz

Posted by Bob P, a resident of another community, on Jan 11, 2013 at 7:27 am

Roz, corporate travel departments and travel services who make reservations for the rank and file will definitely shop for the best deals that they can get. It makes no sense to potentially price yourself out of the market. The law of unintended consequences might rear its ugly head and you may end up not gaining much in the long run.

Posted by Harry S., a resident of San Ramon, on Jan 11, 2013 at 11:23 am

Roz- we should increase our hotel tax. Your right, an extra $2 a night is not going to break a traveler's budget; sorry Bob. I doubt someone who needs to do "business or pleasure" in San Ramon is a) going to go to another city for lodging when that city's hotel tax would be the same or b)stay farther away for a good deal; travel costs would be the detereent. Hotel room rates are not very different city from city and that's the reality.

We need to put the interests of our city as a whole ahead of the special needs of the hotel lobby or a particular business entity. We can't wait for "what might be" to solve the very real city budget issues we face today.

Increasing the city hotel tax will not solve the $5 million plus deficit San Ramon has but it should be considered as one of many pieces of a puzzle that need to be addressed. We cannot say no to every opportunity to address these issues piece by piece.

Going to even year elections is another piece of the puzzle that must be addressed. Civic leaders need to do what's best for the city and figure this out. These two solutions, even year elections and the hotel tax could account for at least $400,000 in revenue going forward; and would cost the city residents nothing.

The business of government is compromise, it's time to compromise on these two issues.

Posted by Dirka-dirka, a resident of San Ramon, on Jan 11, 2013 at 3:00 pm

The Dirka says, keep taxes low and grow revenue through reasonable pro business programs. Their is a reason the downtown project seems like a pipe dream today. However, it is vital to San Ramon's future. In some ways, San Ramon benefits from not having a downtown and what comes with a downtown environment. As it sits now, San Ramon has very little night life and what we have is spread out. A downtown will attract commuinity and visitors both. With this comes a larger required police pressence, more traffic enforcement and most likely parking enforcement.

The reality is that the only reason this porject has not moved forward is because developers do not see the opportunity under the current circumstances, most of which are political. San Ramon's history, is of a loosly organized resdidential community, with a few very large corporate entities bulding large business centers. This is why San Ramon, does not look like Walnut Creek. Some would agrue that Walnut Creek, is a good example, while others will point to Los Gatos, Burlingame, or San Rafael. The bottom line is there will be tradeoffs that must be negotiated well now, or eventually, someone will build the policitcal machine to railroad this project with terms less than favorable to some property owners.

The Dirka needs to go milk his goat, have a nice day :-). Dirka dirka.

Posted by Bob Stinson, a resident of San Ramon, on Jan 11, 2013 at 3:06 pm

Wow, I think this little news blog has become quite interesting. Dirka, you have an interesting perspective. I would vote for you if you ran for Mayor. Hey, maybe there is something there, Dirka for Mayor!!

Posted by John Madison, a resident of San Ramon, on Jan 13, 2013 at 6:37 pm

5 Million Dollar Deficit? But I thought Herb was worth every penny as the second highest paid city manager in the state according to "Pavem Abram"...what happened to his highly vaunted reputation for fiscal resonsibility?