This list of ballot and related issues has been compiled by me, Joan Eisenstodt, and is by no means meant to be inclusive. In the comments section, please add issues of which you are aware and links to the language and any opinions that you may have related to what you are sharing or what is presented within this article. As always, any opinions I’ve expressed are mine alone and may not express the opinions of the publisher and/or Meetings Today.
And if you haven't yet done so, click here to check out the October 2016 edition of Friday With Joan!
U.S. presidential candidates on business issues.
(Alas, no questions specifically on tourism/meetings, though all the issues impact our industry).
Here's an assortment of big ballot issues:
- Marijuana laws on November ballots.
- Marijuana and hotel taxes on ballot.
- How to invest NOLA’s $165 million hotel tax dollars.
- Union issues and referendum for Anaheim.
Seattle Initiative I-124. One perspective with comments following. And another.
[I know Carla Murray, author of the opinion piece, and spoke with her about the I-124 and her position with that of the lodging association. I am generally in favor of I-124 because of my empathy for housekeepers and my knowledge that they are not all paid or treated well at all hotels or by hotel owners, and currently there are no “panic buttons” for most.
Planners: It is recommended that when selecting sites you ask questions about wages, benefits, and protections for all hotel staff and for housekeepers in particular. Their jobs have become far more difficult because of the better bedding, the greater number of rooms to clean and human trafficking.]
California ballot issues:
- Sacramento Bee: Tax boosts that target the powerless.
- Fox and Hounds Daily: Tsunami of Local Taxes Headed for State's Taxpayers.
- The Hill: Sex, Drugs, Guns, Death.
Sonoma County, Calif., taxes on November ballot. Another California city to vote on a hotel tax increase.
San Diego’s proposed tax has had more press than most other cities’ issues:
- Chargers stadium info deleted.
- Chargers stadium ballot measure.
- Stadium vs. ComicCon.
- Opposition to Chargers stadium.
- Hotel tax lawsuit.
Endorsements may be key in San Diego vote. In addition to the NFL San Diego Chargers, other ballot initiatives that could impact hotel/tourism taxes. Funding stadiums through hotel taxes draws criticism.
This, from Free Press Houston, is an opinion about voting for a third party. Where Austin will use its hotel tax money. Will Florida change Tampa’s designation and raise bed tax to fund sports venues?
In Maryland, more discussion of Airbnb and other tourism-related taxes.
In Nevada:
- Nevada governor calls session to vote on Raiders stadium, expansion of Las Vegas Convention Center.
- Nevada Special Session and proposed stadium.
- Likely new tourism tax in Vegas to fund football stadium.
- Video from Culinary Union 226 on the Las Vegas tax increase issue.
And still more on the Las Vegas stadium issue.
Impact of tourism tax dollars in New Hampshire. (I imagine that campaigning adds to this every four—or fewer—years!) In Oklahoma City, the City Council approves partial taxpayer funding for a new hotel near the new convention center. Gun control on ballots in numerous states. Proposal to raise Butte, Montana, hotel taxes.
Trump Casinos’ tax debt in New Jersey and change of governor.
Consider who your senators and members of Congress are and how they voted on Zika funding:
And let's not forget about the international issues:
In Europe, similar issues around tourism taxes adding to hotel bills. From Scotland. This, from Down Under.
