Jefferson County voters Tuesday rejected Proposition T, which would have instituted a 5 percent hotel-motel tax on travelers staying in establishments other than in Arnold, Festus and Pevely.
The three cities did not participate in the voting because they already have their own hotel-motel taxes and Missouri state statutes do not allow for the stacking of such taxes.
A hotel-motel tax, also called a bed tax or a transient tax, targets visitors or travelers, charging them the tax when they stay at a hotel or motel in the city or county that collects the tax revenue.
According to complete, but unofficial results from the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office, Proposition T received 14,910 “yes” votes (37.13 percent) to 25,244 “no” votes (62,87 percent). The measure required a simple majority to pass.
Had it gained voter approval, the new tax would have been paid by travelers staying in Jefferson County hotels other than the ones in Arnold, Festus and Pevely. The money would have gone toward the Jefferson County Tourism Commission.
Don Bolinger, president of the Jefferson County Tourism Commission, said he regretted the wording of the proposition which he said took too long to explain the tax would be paid by travelers, not residents.
“I feel like it was the ballot language (that led to the defeat),” Bolinger said. “It was confusing. You have to read (far) into it to see it’s strictly for travelers.”
County Councilman Scott Seek (District 5, Festus) proposed the tax measure and said the proceeds would go to the Jefferson County Tourism Commission, the county’s Destination Marketing Organization for tourism marketing. Seek vacated his seat in January, and the council appointed Tim Bennett of Festus to the seat in March.
As the county’s DMO, the commission is eligible for matching grants from the Missouri Division of Tourism. The money can be used on billboards, radio and TV ads, and geofencing that promotes Jefferson County tourism.
In three years, the county’s DMO has helped bring in $290,000 in state matching grants, supporting marketing, events and visitor outreach, according to the commission.
The commission stated Prop T would help “unlock” larger matching grants, support local businesses and attractions and reduce reliance on county general revenue.
Bolinger said he would like to see the proposition reworded and placed on the Nov. 3 ballot, but that is to be determined.
“It looks like we could bring it back in November,” he said. “Our plan is to keep fighting.”
He said the commission also needs to better explain what it does to the community it serves.
“We promote all the businesses across the entire county,” he said.