Hotel operators in Lackawanna County aren't too happy about a proposed hike in a hotel tax.
Lackawanna County's majority commissioners want to raise the hotel tax to help balance their budget. The hike would bring the hotel tax to the maximum allowed in Pennsylvania.
Higher taxes are two words that are never popular but Lackawanna County commissioners said higher taxes are necessary to make much-needed repairs to the rundown PNC Field.
The solution, they said, is an increase in the hotel tax.
Commissioner Corey O'Brien said it will raise much needed money without digging into the pockets of those who live here.
Those in the hotel business are less than thrilled.
"It's going to increase our rates a lot and people are not going to be happy, because they already don't like the taxes, so it's going to be hard," said Patricia Bourgeois of Fairfield Inn and Suites.
The current hotel tax in Lackawanna County is four percent. Commissioners want to increase that rate to five percent, which is the maximum allowed by the state. Luzerne County also has a five percent hotel tax.
To put those numbers in perspective, the county hotel tax in Philadelphia County is only one percent but the city adds on an extra six percent.
Cheryl Armstrong is traveling through our area from Delaware and she says an increase in the hotel tax might have her looking for another place to spend the night.
"Yes, I will say that when we choose to go somewhere I do go on the internet and research prices," Armstrong said.
That means hotel chains will be the ones who foot the bill.
Even the hotels on Montage Mountain close to PNC Field said they don't see that much traffic from the field itself either.
"As far as the hotels go, we don't see a tremendous amount from the baseball games, because it's mainly local people," said Dan Edwards of Comfort Suites.
Lackawanna County commissioners said the increase in hotel tax could be in place by the end of the year.
Lackawanna County's majority commissioners want to raise the hotel tax to help balance their budget. The hike would bring the hotel tax to the maximum allowed in Pennsylvania.
Higher taxes are two words that are never popular but Lackawanna County commissioners said higher taxes are necessary to make much-needed repairs to the rundown PNC Field.
The solution, they said, is an increase in the hotel tax.
Commissioner Corey O'Brien said it will raise much needed money without digging into the pockets of those who live here.
Those in the hotel business are less than thrilled.
"It's going to increase our rates a lot and people are not going to be happy, because they already don't like the taxes, so it's going to be hard," said Patricia Bourgeois of Fairfield Inn and Suites.
The current hotel tax in Lackawanna County is four percent. Commissioners want to increase that rate to five percent, which is the maximum allowed by the state. Luzerne County also has a five percent hotel tax.
To put those numbers in perspective, the county hotel tax in Philadelphia County is only one percent but the city adds on an extra six percent.
Cheryl Armstrong is traveling through our area from Delaware and she says an increase in the hotel tax might have her looking for another place to spend the night.
"Yes, I will say that when we choose to go somewhere I do go on the internet and research prices," Armstrong said.
That means hotel chains will be the ones who foot the bill.
Even the hotels on Montage Mountain close to PNC Field said they don't see that much traffic from the field itself either.
"As far as the hotels go, we don't see a tremendous amount from the baseball games, because it's mainly local people," said Dan Edwards of Comfort Suites.
Lackawanna County commissioners said the increase in hotel tax could be in place by the end of the year.
