MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — This Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start to another summer in Myrtle Beach, and as the City Manager prepares this year’s budget, he said tourism-driven tax and fee revenues are estimated to either remain flat or grow moderately from last year, including a hotel tax that “lagged” compared to previous years.
“The accommodations tax is the 2% tax on hotels, and that is down a little bit,” City Manager Jonathan ‘Fox’ Simons said.
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“It’s down a couple points, I think less than 5% right now, so it is down a little bit, but not a lot. We certainly monitor that very closely and see what it is and we can make adjustments if we see that,” said Simons.
Councilmembers reviewed a presentation of the manager’s recommended budget earlier this month, and it states the hospitality fee, which comes from people eating at restaurants and using other businesses in the city might grow a little.
“I think that’s why you’re seeing the accommodation tax going down a little bit, less people traveling. But you’re seeing an increase in the hospitality and tourism fee because more people are eating out, and just more growth in the general community and more people are going out,” he said.
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“We’re proud of the budget. We don’t increase taxes. We also have some really good capital improvement projects, we have the Vietnam Memorial we’re preparing for, some tree replacements in the Market Common, and hopefully the 24th Avenue outfall will be taking place here any day now,” Simons added.
The first reading of the budget that city council passed this month kept the millage rate the same for property taxes, but this is a tax reassessment year for Horry County, so this year’s budget can still include a millage rate change once those assessments are calculated.
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