CITY& COUNTY
News from Dallas & Dallas County
Dallas proposing increase to hotel occupancy tax to fund projects
TAXBREAKDOWN The state-mandated hotel occupancy tax is charged to guests who rent a hotel room that costs $15 or more a day.
BY JACKSON KING
DALLAS The city is looking to increase the city’s hotel occupancy tax rate to generate funds to expand the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas and improve several facilities located at Fair Park. The convention center, located at 650 S. Griffin St. in downtown Dallas, is a city-owned facility that holds yearly conferences and other events. According to documents included as part of an April 27 Dallas City Council meeting, the improve- ments planned include more ballroom and meeting space, more room for food and beverage prepara- tion, and more hotel rooms. In addition, the city is also looking to acquire, construct and improve certain facilities located at Fair Park, which serves as the host site for the Texas State Fair. Specifically listed in a council resolution approved April 27 are the Automotive Building, the Centennial Building, the Band Shell, the Music Hall, the Cotton Bowl and the Coliseum. In order to pay for the improvements, the city wants to increase Dallas’ current 7% hotel occu- pancy tax rate by 2%. Mayor Pro Tem Chad West
A Dallas City Council resolution proposes a 2% rate increase. Here is a breakdown of that hotel occupancy tax rate:
State rate: 6% City rate: 7% If the rise is approved, the total hotel occupancy tax would be 15%. Proposed city rate Increase: 2%
SOURCES: CITY OF DALLAS, TEXAS COMPTROLLER/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
generated through the hotel occupancy tax increase is expected to be $1.5 billion over 30 years. Dallas City Council approved the resolution in a 14-1 vote during the April 27 meeting with Council Member Cara Mendelsohn, representing District 12, being the lone vote against it. That approval allows Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax to send the resolution to the Texas Comptroller’s Office to determine whether imple- menting the increased hotel occupancy tax will have a significant negative fiscal impact. If the pro- posed increase is approved by the comptroller, the resolution is expected to be placed on the Novem- ber election ballot to give Dallas voters the final say on whether to increase the hotel occupancy tax.
said the use of hotel occupancy tax would mean that taxpayers are not responsible for the construc- tion costs. The hotel occupancy tax is a state mandatory tax applied to guests who rent a hotel room that costs $15 or more each day, according to the Texas Comptroller website. The tax applies not only to hotels and motels, but also to bed and breakfasts, condominiums, apartments and houses. The state hotel occupancy tax rate is currently 6% of the cost of a room, though some cities are also authorized to impose an additional local hotel tax. Dallas cur- rently charges a 7% rate. This proposal would bring the total hotel occupancy tax rate in Dallas to 15%. According to the city’s estimates, the revenue
Santa Fe Trail now temporarily closed
Redistricting commission narrowsmap options for City Council boundaries
urged to cross SH 78 in marked areas of the corridor for safety and only when it is safe to do so. Northbound SH 78 will have addi- tional signage in place to alert drivers to yield to pedestrians in marked crossing areas. From the north, trail users will be directed to exit the Santa Fe Trail near the crossing at Winsted Drive and go west to Gaston. Users will then follow SH 78 to the west to connect to the Santa Fe Trail. From the west, trail users will follow SH 78 to Gaston, then north to reconnect to the trail. The overall construction project is scheduled to be completed in spring 2023.
BY JACKSON KING
BY JACKSON KING
WHAT’S NEXT:
DALLAS The Texas Department of Transportation temporarily closed the Santa Fe Trail pedestrian bridge over SH 78. The bridge closure is part of a $6.3 million project to improve the SH 78 intersection at Gaston Avenue, according to a news release. The pedestrian bridge closure is needed to allow for work to widen the SH 78 lanes under the Santa Fe Trail bridge. Once construction is completed, the existing intersection will be reconfigured to provide safer turning movements and more efficient through lanes on east- and westbound SH 78. There will also be constructed areas for pedestrians and cycling traffic to safely cross through the intersection. The bridge is located just east of the intersection of Gaston and SH 78. A detour will be in place for trail users during the temporary closure. There will be no public access across the pedestrian bridge during the closure, which is scheduled to last through late August. Trail users are
DALLAS The Dallas Redistricting Commission selected two options for the 2021 City Council Redistrict- ing Plan during its April 25 meeting. The commission will consider revisions to the two options before presenting them for public com- ment May 7, said attorney Brent Rosenthal, who represents south- ern Lakewood as part of District 9 on the commission, via email. “In my opinion, both of the proposed maps provide suitable templates for devising the final map to be submitted by the redis- tricting commission to Mayor [Eric] Johnson for City Council approval,” Rosenthal said via email. As mandated by the Dallas Charter, the redistricting plan will redraw Dallas’ district lines from which council members are elected. According to the commis- sion’s website, redistricting usually takes place every 10 years after each U.S. census and affects all jurisdictions that use districts. Council appointed the
May 7 Public hearing at 3 p.m. with redistricting commission May 9 Commission workshop at 3:30 p.m. followed by vote on final map Meetings are held at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St. To learn more, visit www.dallasredistricting.com.
15-member commission in 2021 to develop the district plan based on the results of the 2020 census and in compliance with the charter and federal law. The new district boundaries are slated to go into effect for the May 2023 council election. According to the Dallas Charter, council has 45 days after the district plan is submitted to the mayor to adopt, or modify and adopt, a new redistricting plan. If final action is not taken by council within 45 days, the redistricting commission’s plan becomes final.
SANTA FE TRAIL
Road work Santa Fe Trail
Trail detour Bridge closure
WINSTED DR.
78
N
8
COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook