Colton, California, Hotel Tax Increase, Measure T (November 2016)

• Text of measure
  • Ballot question
• Path to the ballot
• See also
  • External links
  • Footnotes
• More
  • Local ballot measures
  • State ballot measures
  • Local politics

Measure T: Colton Hotel Tax Increase
The basics
Election date:
November 8, 2016
Status:
d Defeated Majority required: 66.67%
Topic:
Local hotel tax Amount: Increase from 10% to 12.5% Expires in: Never
Related articles
Local hotel tax on the ballot November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California San Bernardino County, California ballot measures City tax on the ballot
See also
Colton, California

A hotel tax measure was on the ballot for Colton voters in San Bernardino County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was defeated.

A yes vote was a vote in favor of increasing the transient occupancy tax rate from 10 percent to 12.5 percent, with revenue dedicated to city athletic/recreational fields and facilities.

A no vote was a vote against increasing the transient occupancy tax rate from 10 percent to 12.5 percent, with revenue dedicated to city athletic/recreational fields and facilities.

A two-thirds (66.67%) vote was required for the approval of this measure.

Election results

Measure T
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		7,142	56.44%
Yes		5,512	43.56%

Election results from San Bernardino County Elections Office of the Registrar of Voters

Text of measure

Ballot question

The following question appeared on the ballot:

“

Shall the City of Colton increase the Transient Occupancy (Room) Tax rate from 10% to 12.5%, with the extra 2.5% rate increase generating approximately $150,000 annually that will specifically pay for the construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of the City's athletic/recreational fields and related facilities, until ended by voters, and to apply the Tax to all rent charged by hotel operators, including online travel and short term rental companies, for transient occupancy of any hotel room?

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Colton City Attorney:

“	The City of Colton currently imposes a transient occupancy tax ("TOT"), also generally known as a "hotel" tax, at the rate of ten percent (10%) of rent paid by guests to occupy a room or space in a hotel or similar lodging (referred to herein as a "hotel"). This TOT is imposed upon occupancy of a room or hotel space within the City, for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes, for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days or less. The TOT currently provides approximately $600,000 annually to the General Fund to pay for general City services and programs. Measure "T" was placed on the November, 2016 ballot by the City Council. It would amend and update the City's Municipal Code as follows: Increases the rate of TOT from ten percent (10%) to twelve and one-half percent (12.5%) of the rent paid by guests to occupy a room or space in a hotel. It is anticipated that this rate increase will generate an additional $150,000 in new revenues; Expressly provides that the 2.5% TOT rate increase is a "special tax", and therefore those revenues shall be spent only for a specific purpose: the construction, maintenance and/or rehabilitation of athletic/recreational fields and facilities within the City of Colton. The current basic 10% TOT rate will remain a "general tax" and those revenues will continue to be spent on general City services and programs. Clarifies that if a guest occupies a hotel for longer than 30 consecutive days, the TOT will apply only to the first 30 days of hotel occupancy; Includes online travel companies (e.g., Expedia, Travelocity), online short term rental companies (e.g., AirBnB) and other similar third parties as hotel "operators" for the purpose of collecting the City's TOT from guests who purchase a hotel room or similar space via the Internet, or by similar electronic means; Clarifies that the taxable rent paid for a hotel room or space includes all rates and fees commonly charged for hotel occupancy, such as room rates, service charges, parking fees, block or group reservation charges, retail markup, commissions, processing fees, cancellation charges, and online booking fees; Addresses "block reservation" arrangements by providing that the period of taxable occupancy is measured by the length of an individual guest's stay, not the length of the "block reservation" or similar agreement entered into by the guest's employer or agent; and Includes certain clarifying amendments regarding exemptions from the TOT. Measure "T" is a "special tax", the revenues from the increased TOT can only be used for athletic/recreational fields and facilities within the City of Colton, as described above. Therefore, pursuant to California Proposition 218, Measure "T" must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) supermajority of the voters. A "Yes" vote on Measure "T" will authorize the 2.5% TOT rate increase as a special tax. A "No" vote on Measure "T" will not authorize the 2.5% TOT rate increase as a special tax.	”
—Colton City Attorney

Full text

The full text of the measure was available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of Colton, California.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Colton Local hotel tax. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Colton, California, Hotel Tax Increase, Measure T (November 2016) - Google News

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2016
• Local hotel tax on the ballot
• City tax on the ballot
• San Bernardino County measures

California

• November 8, 2016 measures in California
• Local ballot measures, California
• Colton, California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

Suggest a link

• San Bernardino County Elections Office website