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Area hotels worried about possible guest tax increase

By NINA CRISCUOLO

CHEROKEE COUNTY, KAN. - The Cherokee County commission looks at the possibility of increasing the countywide transient hotel tax - a tax imposed on hotel guests.

"When someone comes to our hotel they're paying an additional 13.8% to stay here - when we heard there was a possibility of another increase, plus the state is looking at increasing another 1% on top of their 7.8% we got kind of panicky," says Laura Lowry-Greene, the owner of Maple Uncommon Hotel in Columbus, Kansas.

She and numerous other hotel owners gathered at the commission meeting to find out exactly what is proposed.

Commission Chairman Richard Hilderbrand says the new transient tax would not effect existing businesses inside any city limits.  It would hit any new hotel built out in the county, like a state-owned casino.

"If something was to build outside an incorporated area and if something was to building outside they'd only pay a 2% so we're trying to level the playing field for existing businesses," Hilderbrand says.

But hotel owners are unsupportive and worry that cities will take up the idea, as Baxter Springs has.  The Baxter Springs city council recently imposed an 8% transient tax.

"People perceive that as a price increase and don't understand that it's a tax increase," says Amy Sanell, the owner of The Little Brick Inn in Baxter Springs.  "They look at it as if it's more money in our pocket and so people are not responding well to it at this point."

Greene says for the Maple Uncommon any increase may push her to convert the hotel to apartments or a non-profit establishment.

"We still oppose any increase in taxes, I don't care if it's city, county, or state tax at this point," Greene told us.  "We are being taxed out of business."

Commissioners did not vote on the issue at Monday's meeting.  They say it will be revisited in the coming weeks.