A. In addition to such transient occupancy tax as is authorized by § 58.1-3819, Bath County may impose an additional transient occupancy tax not to exceed two percent of the amount of the charge for the occupancy of any room or space occupied.
B. The revenues collected from the additional tax shall be designated and spent as follows:
1. One-half of such revenue shall be designated and spent solely for tourism and travel, marketing of tourism, or initiatives that, as determined after consultation with the local tourism industry organizations, attract travelers to the locality and generate tourism revenues in the locality. If there are no local tourism industry organizations in the locality, the governing body shall hold a public hearing prior to making any determination relating to how to attract travelers to the locality and generate tourism revenues in the locality.
2. One-half of such revenue shall be designated and spent solely for the design, operation, construction, improvement, acquisition, and debt service for such expenses on debt incurred after June 30, 2009, of tourism facilities, historic sites, beautification projects, promotion of the arts, regional tourism marketing efforts, capital costs related to travel and transportation including air service, public parks and recreation, and information centers that attract travelers to the locality and generate tourism revenues in the locality.
C. The tax imposed hereunder shall not apply to rooms or spaces rented and continuously occupied by the same individual or same group of individuals for 30 or more days in hotels, motels, boarding houses, travel campgrounds, and other facilities offering guest rooms.
D. If Bath County requires local hotel and motel businesses, or any class thereof, to collect, account for, and remit the tax imposed pursuant to this section, the County may allow such businesses a commission for such service in the form of a deduction from the tax remitted. Such commission shall be provided for by ordinance, which shall set the rate thereof, no less than three percent and not to exceed five percent of the amount of tax due and accounted for. No commission shall be allowed if the amount due is delinquent.
E. All tax collections pursuant to this section shall be deemed to be held in trust for Bath County.
History
2009, c. 16.
