OCEAN CITY – Efforts to get the enabling legislation passed that would allow Ocean City to increase the room tax rate are once again underway.
On Wednesday, the Senate’s Budget and Taxation Committee held a hearing for SB 95, sponsored by Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, which would increase the maximum hotel rental tax rate cap from 5% to 6%. A hearing for the cross-filed HB 186, sponsored by Del. Wayne Hartman, is set for Feb. 1.
“I don’t anticipate any problems but there are always new players,” Hartman said. “You can’t take anything for granted.”
In 2022, county officials worked with state representatives on enabling legislation to allow the county to increase its room tax cap from 5% to 6%. They discovered, however, that because Worcester is a code home rule county, approval was needed from all of the code counties. Though all four code counties supported the legislation last year, it failed to pass in the Senate.
During Wednesday’s hearing on SB 95, Carozza reiterated the fact that all of the code counties support the legislation. She also detailed the reasons Ocean City needed the ability to increase the room tax.
Let O.C. tax themselves right out of business
Already have, yet continue to build at thr north end…midtown and downtown next to the 50 bridge. Take down and rebuild bigger.
Sad in a way. All the 10s of hundreds of apts, townhouses, homed, condos….and yet OC cant manage the money and need more.
Why Rickie..why?
I hope they raise it so high that they all stay empty.