If state Sen. Barry Glassman has his way, he will not give Harford County or the City of Aberdeen the ability to put a new tax on hotel/motel rooms anytime soon – unwelcome news to a financially-strapped city that was looking to finally secure the much sought after lodging surcharge.
While the rest of the city toiled with transition teams, inner turmoil among a feuding police department and ethics violations, old and new, at least one group of Aberdeen residents actually tried to get something done the old fashioned way – traveling by bus to Annapolis last week in support of the latest push to implement a hotel/motel room tax in Harford County.
Harford County is the lone jurisdiction in Maryland without the authorization to impose and collect a minimal fee on each night’s stay in such lodging. Yet its best chance yet to get the proposition passed – with a new senator representing the county and a broader bill introduced – may still be scuttled by fears of imposing a new tax, even a pass-through tax, during such uncertain economic times.
Every other county in Maryland as well as Baltimore City has the authority granted by the state to place a minimal tax on a night’s stay in hotel and motel rooms. This usually just works out to a few extra bucks a night, which hits the traveling out-of-towner, usually passing through on I-95 or Route 40. As such, it’s considered a pass-through tax as it doesn’t directly hit Harford County residents or businesses.
But don’t tell that to the hotel industry, particularly the Hess family – owners of hotels and property at most of the I-95 interchanges in Harford County – who have been powerful opponents of the hotel tax and are credited largely with keeping it out of the area. Until now.
For the last few years the hotel tax bill has been defeated due mostly to opposition from Harford’s trio of state senators – Nancy Jacobs, Bob Hooper and Andy Harris – with the claim it will hurt tourism and local businesses, such as the Hess’.
But Harris is well on his way to becoming a U.S. Congressman and usually defers to Jacobs’ wishes and Bob Hooper died earlier this year and was replaced with former Del. Barry Glassman.
Proponents of the hotel tax saw the perfect opportunity to strike, but took an additional precaution, introducing the bill as statewide legislation rather than a local Harford bill. As a local bill the General Assembly would defer to the local courtesy and the senators would make short work of it in its annual defeat.
Here is this years attempt at a Harford hotel tax, via HB 178 – Municipal Corporations – Hotel Rental Tax:
Authorizing a municipal corporation to impose a tax on charges for sleeping accommodations paid to hotels in the municipal corporation, subject to specified limitations; authorizing a municipal corporation to set the tax rate, not to exceed 2%; authorizing a municipal corporation to provide for the administration and collection of the tax, to provide for additional exemptions from the tax, and to impose penalties for failure to collect, report, or pay the tax; etc.
Chuck Doty, a founding member of Aberdeen Communities Together (aka Aberdeen’s anti-annexation “Redshirts”), helped coordinate a bus trip to Annapolis last week so he, along with Mayor Mike Bennett, could testify in support of the hotel tax bill along with one of its sponsors, Harford Del. B. Daniel Riley.
“We had 24 on the bus, and while I was testifying, I mentioned that I was not alone and asked the bus riders and other assembled people from the Aberdeen delegation to stand, (about 30 folks got on their feet). My argument to the Ways and Means Committee was that Harford County is at or near the bottom of the median income for all Maryland Counties and Aberdeen the lowest within our County, and due to the current economy and ventures like Ripken Stadium, we need all the financial help we can muster,” Doty wrote in an email.
Why do Doty and the other Aberdeen residents care if hotel rooms cost a little extra a night? They see the room tax as just another way for Aberdeen to get some relief for its financial situation without the assistance of the county.
Del. Riley agrees and thinks the Aberdeen touch helped the cause last week.
“I got a nice warm feeling when Chuck [Doty] asked the Aberdeen group to stand and show their support for the bill. This made a great impact on the committee hearing the bill,” Riley wrote in an email interview.
“The committee was surprised that we did not have a hotel tax and asked why. I replied the relationship between some Harford County elected officials and the Hotel owners. The committee also felt we should’ve asked for 5% instead of 2%,” Riley added.
Riley also explained why making the legislation a state bill rather than a local Harford bill makes a difference.
“This bill is not a Harford Delegation bill. Because of the expressed opposition by Senators Jacobs, Harris and Hooper, we made this a statewide bill. We joined forces with the municipalities of Rockville and Gaithersburg. I never thought that I would get help on a bill from Montgomery County. Another reason this was not a Harford County delegation bill is because of the Hess influence. The Hess group did testify against the bill,” he wrote.
Both Doty and Riley are relatively confident about the future of the hotel tax bill:
“Anyway, I believe that this bill will pass the house, but getting it through the Senate is another thing…. especially in a ninety (90) day session. But I believe that the gears are now turning for approval of some sort of Motel/Hotel fees that will benefit the Aberdeen City taxpayers eventually,” Doty wrote.
“It looks like the bill will pass the House and I feel it has a 50-50 chance of getting out of the Senate,” Riley wrote.
In any case, it looks like the fate of this year’s hotel tax attempt may rest on the shoulders of newly crowned state Sen. Glassman.
“I can only hope Senator Glassman does the right thing and supports this bill,” Riley wrote.
So, without further procrastination, let’s hear what Glassman is going to do.
“[Maryland Municipal League] has tried a couple of times to go around local Counties, as you know local courtesy is granted on most bills but not always depending how the leadership feels about the bills and any statewide impact,” he answered in an email interview.
And most importantly.
“With the state and local economy going in the tank, I think we should not be increasing any more taxes or adding cost to small business.
Glassman, who has been chairman of Harford County’s delegation through the years when the hotel tax push has been stymied by Harford’s senators, now appears unwilling to support the authorization of a new tax because of the tough economic times.
To Aberdeen, at least, such a move ensures the economic times won’t be getting any better any time soon.
I just don’t get it. Now is the time to implement this tax. It’s not about the tourism. With BRAC coming (eventually), these hotels are going to be filled with people doing business with APG. They don’t care about an extra dollar or two a night.
And isn’t this a free market? Is the Hess family scared of competition? Oh wait, they don’t own any hotels in Aberdeen (yet). After implementing the tax, if occupancy decreases, the hotels lower their price a few dollars/night. It’s called economics.
This has nothing to do with protecting the citizens of Harford County. For the most part, we aren’t the ones paying this tax. This is nothing but a few business owners blocking it through our representation.
Sounds kinda like the elected school board mess with the Harford Business Roundtable. Interesting that Glassman stood up to them, but apparently not to the Hess family…
Steve, your point was brought out in my testimony, supporting a hotel tax for Aberdeen, before the Ways and Means Committee. BRAC is a big deal and it is going to cost the county and Aberdeen a tremendous amount of money just to prepare for the onslaught of government contractors, subcontractors,workers and their families. Our infrastructure needs vast improvements. Where is the money going to come from? The citizens of Aberdeen should not have to pay higher taxes because of BRAC. The hotels are the ones to benefit. I also said in my testimony that Aberdeen is a “hotel magnet”. Presently, Aberdeen has 11 hotels, one under construction, and three in the planning stages. The hotel owners know a good thing and a 2% tax is not going to break them.
Del Riley;
Great support, thanks. One other factor to consider is that the hotels require a high amount of service from the City. To not tax them is to have the taxpayers subsidize the industry. This is corporate welfare in its rawest form. Th final point that you make is that a 2% tax won’t break them. It sure as the dickens won’t. They will pass it on to the consumer after rounding up.
Please follow this run-on sentence to it’s conclusion: If the municipalities of the state were enabled to impose a 2% hotel tax, AND according to the hotel lobby group, said hotel tax would hurt their business by driving potential guests to other accomodations outside of the municipalities, AND since the H- – – Hotel Group doesn’t operate a hotel within the City’s boundaries, BUT does own multiple hotels in very close proximity to the City, then by extrapolation, wouldn’t it make sense that the H- – – Hotel Group could benefit from this legislation if passed, and therefore, SHOULD support this legislation? What’s Up with that?
Steve, Delegate Riley, Dave,
I agree with all of your comments, I just had to throw some irony into the mix !
Thanks to all who have supported our efforts in the past AND during the present. Here’s to keeping a keen eye on the future!
Councilman Mike
Per Glassman’s quote – “With the state and local economy going in the tank, I think we should not be increasing any more taxes or adding cost to small business.”
Fine, I’m ok with that. Then repeal the tax for every other jurisdiction in the state. They have fallen under hard times as well, right? I mean, these small business with names like Choice Hotels International, Inc and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation are sure to be driven right out of business due to the tax.
This looks like a no brainer to me. Every other area in the state has the tax, but Harford?
That’s a fun sentence, lets look at it again.
Every other area in the state has the tax, but Harford?
Every other area in the state has the tax, but Harford?
Every other area in the state has the tax, but Harford?
Every other area in the state has the tax, but Harford?
Every other area in the state has the tax, but Harford?
Hmmm….
Dave, I did mention the amount of services the the town provides to the hotels and their patrons. When the patrons “party hardy” and get a bit out of hand, it is the town’s police who have to address their less than desirable behavior. Dave and Mike , thank you for your support over the years. Government works best when local and state officals are on the same page working for the public interest.
Oh by the way, you may appreciate this comment from the committee members who heard the bill. They said “Dan we have never seen so many citizens in favor of a tax bill.”
Seems our favorite newspaper thinks the whole Harford County Delegation does not support the hotel tax and is afraid of the Hess influence. Where is their head?
Up their….nevermind.
Dan;
Thanks for the kind compliment. Even though you and I can find areas of disagreement, we both agree that this area is great and deserves nothing but the best. When any member of the delegation speaks out against the hotel tax, for whatever stupid reason, it is obvious that he or she simply doesn’t get it. Nancy I understand, she never did get it and a no brainer applies to her in spades. She may have a sefae seat but it ought to burn her “hinterteil” (that’s German for some area behind you.) Thanks for your support Dan. Thanks for getting it.
I am a MD voter and I want to thank Del. Glassman and Sen. Jacobs for watching the people. Tax………….come on didn’t O’Malley implement enough taxes to suffice through his term. Now we want to tax our visistors! Enough is enough. As it is, residents are looking at ways to move out of our state and businesses can’t afford to stay………..so why would new businesses look to come here?
Let’s quit taxing the people and the businesses and get the MD economy back on track. Aberdeen may be looking for ways to dig itself out of a financial mess from the stadium deal, but let’s not make the rest of the County pay for it by taxing its visitors which results in revenue becaause our visitors will skip by our county to other countys for lodging and ultimately the businesses will suffer………..food, gas, entertainment……………………etc.
Wake up MD!
O’Malley has crippled our state and its people. Its the people who are not afraid to stand up for right who will maintain our state.
Keep on keeping on Glassman and Jacobs…….you are all we have left.
Don’t let us down.
As for O’Malley and his gang……………can’t wait until the next election to vote them all out. I love Maryland and I will not see them destroy it. We have been the place where everyone from surrounding states wanted to move………….now, they laugh at us. They love watching us turn ourselves into a “want-a-be” NY. In the meantime, they are reaping our harvest.
Guess the joke is on us.
Jacobs, Glassman and whoever else is reading this…………do the right thing and vote against the bill. Even if you stand alone, you will know in your heart that you’ve voted for the people! Do not be swayed. Do not be bullied.. Do not be lobbied.
Hey I see where the dagger has links to the “O’Malley Watch”…………….why not be unbiased or as most reporters should “be objective” and include a link to the “Drudge Report?” If you want to keep some healthy dialogue and views from all viewers why not include all links.
So…Jacob- how bout telling us how you really feel???? LOLOL!!
BY the by FYI : the “O’Malley Watch” IS a conservative website- if the Dagger wants to add some objectivity, they should link to something without a right wing bias. Sorry , that ain’t Drudge.
Jacob/Curious,
Reason we link to O’Malley Watch is simple. They link back to us. You’ll find that all the sites in our links section do that.
Jacob:
What other County, City or State would this so called visitor flee to? AT this moment, and I have done a hell of a lot of research, there is not one other place in the US where you can stay without paying a hotel tax. The tax is used for a wide variety of purposes in different places but is imposed at every place. You are so angered by the November surprise that you are mixing apples and oranges. Aberdeen is rightfully looking for a hotel tax because the local hotels cost more in services than the real estate tax that they pay can cover. A hotel tax will help with the local security and infrastructure requirements of the industry and also assist with the funding of the tourism bureau for the County wide office.
Any elected representative who is opposed to the hotel tax is basically saying, “let the current residents bear the costs of this expensive subsidy.”
Dave, apparently Jacob was a late arrival to this party. He needs to take the “righty” blinders off for a second and read the bill as proposed.
Jacob: The hotel tax would be levied by ABERDEEN, not by the State, whith revenues going thereto.
I’m all for user taxes. We expect other commercial and retail businesses to contribute to the cost of services and infrastructure, why not hotels as well?
It’s counterintuitive to think people will go miles away from their intended destination to save $0.02 cents on the dollar, especially when gas is edging toward $3.50 a gallon.
All I have to add is if govenment would better control their dollars they wouldn’t be looking for Marylanders to fill in their financial gaps. How much more does the state or County want from its people? The elected leaders need to control our money as if it were their money. Maybe then things would be different and people wouldn’t be looking at other states to retreat.
Quit trying to balance your budget on our backs. They have the best of the best when we talk about financial planners——-listen to your experts and quit dictating on how the experts should make the dollars work to fund your promises.
The November election has everything to do with it. When an elected official takes my money, I am watching their every move. I watch how they vote, how they prepare their budget (million dollar special sessions) and I watch the programs they are trying to implement and how those programs reflect on thier campaign promises. I wish more voters would pay attention instead of voting for a person because they give a good speech, or because they look good, or because they have charisima.
We have no more to give, unless of course they want our blood. Marylanders and the people of Harford County (AND our visitors) have nothing left to give.
So Steve, why don’t you ask the Drudge Report to link back to you? You would create a diverse dialogue and probably increase your visitors.
Thanks for the suggestion Jacob. I’m sure if Matt Drudge linked to us, it would increase our visitors. Drudge links to all his sources. If we are lucky enough to be a source, then your dream of diverse dialog will probably exist here.
If Marylanders have “no more to give” I gotta wonder why all the local eateries have long lines to get in every single night of the week? Seems to me that there IS a substantial amount of expendable income out there… But hey- God forbid we spend it educating people, or paying for health care, or adequate facilities or shock trauma helicopters or..or.. or…. Heck! We might lose weight! Oh NOES! They want our FAT? The horror of it all! ( clutching my pearls and falling on the fainting couch)
Do I have this straight… a city cuts a bad deal, can’t write a solvent budget and then asks a previously untaxed industry to bail them out? I did not know a mini-me existed for Martin O’Malley!
Taxes were passed on just about everything in November so why should anyone support another new tax? And who doesn’t spend the night in a hotel sometimes? Get away from the kids, avoid driving home after a night out, house is being fumugated/painted/remodeled, fire, and c’mon admit it,. how many of us put our inlaws up in hotels? Where do our kids go to prom? Where do we host local conferences? Oh but wait, this tax won’t touch any of that!! And pigs fly.
Has anyone heard a peep, just a peep, from Aberdeen about other cost cutting measures? The tax-tax-tax feeling is the shortcut to solving problems. There is a problem because we are spending more than we make. What else is on the table? This all-or-nothing approach is the ninth grade dating scene all over again.
Man Curious get a clue. You sound like one of those actors who live in Hollywood CA. They go on TV and demand (by touching the average persons conscience into making them feel guilty) of the average Joe to open his wallet for social programs. It’s easy to be in Hollywood, making $1 million dollars a show, for them to tell you and I that we should fund government programs ultimately so we can keep them ‘the actors’ in business. Dont be fooled Curious. The social programs keep the actors in the spotlight and in good favor of the public eye because of their good deeds–ultimately endorsing socialism.
Let the people keep the money that they’ve earned. They worked hard for their money and should be entitled to keep it. Any yes Curious, if they want to spend it at an eatery, so what–they earned it and can drop their dollars into any market they desire. Government should not dictate to its people where they should spend their hard worked dollars. This is called free enterprise………anyway you look at it.
Since you are so “up” on socialism, why don’t you support it and let me dictate where I wish to spend my money? Isn’t this fair? You spend you money as you wish, and I spend mine as I wish. I support my causes and you support your causes. Why does Government have to tell me what my causes are and how I will spend my money?
On another note Curious……….IF I have pearls to clutch then I must have earned them, but UNFORTUNATELEY most don’t have pearls to clutch these days, thanks to government programs, and over-taxing its people.
Universal health care———-check out Europe and how it’s working in that country ….then think, really think and be honest, if that’s what you want for you and your family. If we get universal health care in the US this is what will happen. The best of the best physicians will leave the plan and be solely for hire for the rich ONLY to leave you and I with the 2nd best to treat our families.
Check it out.
Geez J -get a sense of humor! Better yet how bout a reality check? 2nd best health care is better than NO health care at all. WAITING to see a Doc is better than NEVER seeing one. The proposals for health care that are on the table will continue to allow those lucky enough to have a working plan to keep it. As far as the “OMG it is so awful elsewhere!!!!!” – looks like another occasion for the fainting couch to me. There are just as many horror stories about US health care as there are elsewhere. I happen to have real honest to goodness European and Canadian relatives who are VERY – even EXTREMELY happy with their health care. They PITY us! My daughter recently spent six months in Mexico and was seen by a physician within a half hour for a severe ear infection and given a top drawer antibiotic. Cost ? Equivalent to $8. We have people crossing the borders into Mexico to get prescriptions at a fraction of the US cost. It is to the advantage of the drug companys and less than ethical doctors to keep us in fear of less costly health care- they are making PILES of money -unlike you who are in such need of every penny that you earn and I am sure don’t have a dime to spare- but I digress. The MEDICAL establishment is costing most moderate income people beaucoup bucks. Where is your outrage about how they are bleeding us? There are solutions to the Doctor dilemma. IF their education and insurance was affordable they could still make a very comfortable living with out soaking their patients. Drs-like other service vocations- should be doing what they do for more than the $$. If not I certainly don’t want them diagnosing or ordering up tests for me. Guess what -the AMA is in FAVOR of universal health coverage!!! Good Docs care more about people than exorbitant profit.
I gotta say that it is laughably ironic that folks go crazy about how GOVT spending effects our pocket book but are led meekly to financial slaughter by the big money interests. It is a major shame that we are somehow able to come up with billions of dollars every month for a dubious war but claim that health care benes for kids are ” fiscally irresponsible” I call BULLSH*T. Stop drinking the kool aide J.
PS J- Europe is a CONTINENT.
Curious check it out
Lost…………..who isn’t (the series)
Seemiingly invisible and sought by mysterious forces from around the globe, the island seems from some perspectives to be unreachable, yet a significant number of hapless travelers seem to just stumble on it by accident. Does the island have a sense of ‘choice’ about who can tread its surface, or are the indications of a Gaia like intelligence just anthoropomorphism from the characters and the viewers alike?
Curious….What happens when an English phrase is translated (by computer) back and forth between five different languages?
Now, think before you answer.
So O’Malley wants to push even more tax hikes and toll hikes and som of our prodical politicians want to raise anothe tax? Brilliant. What do we get for this tax? More government spending? Yay! That’s the solution to all of our problems, spend, spend, spend! I hope none of these pro-tax antagonists dare call themselves Republicans! And kudos to those few elected officials opposing YET Another tax hike.
Curious…………check your wallet. I’m sure it’s short a few dollars … dollars that you gave the government for YOUR programs.
Congrats “C” As for me and mine, we will continue to hold our money and spend it the way in wish we choose. America is a capitalistic country, but more and more it’s looking like a socialistic country. Listen, I’m in favor of charity. In fact, I give thousands of dollars each year to help those who are in need, but it’s my choice. Government doesn’t need to tell me what my causes are because that’s when I’ll stop giving. Because all of my money will be dictated to give to Gov’ts charities instead of mine.
So continue on “C.” Be a good soldier. One day I’m sure we will meet in poverty.
That’s right revolution. By the way, cool name “revolution.” As I mentioned earlier, I can understand why the rich and famous supports government programs–it gets them publicity and it’s free.
But the average person must support those who are keeping us employed. If big business takes a hit in their profits they will send people to the unemployment line because they must make a profit. That’s what keeps us employed. That’s what endorses a thriving economy.
I just can’t understand why people can’t see it while they can fix it. Instead, they end up unemployed and then look to government to take care of them. I want to take care of me. I don’t want to rely on government to give me their crums.
Keep the economy going! Don’t look for a quick fix like slots. Help the businesses prosper then we will be ONE. They need to quit taxing us to support thier habits.
Their first charge is the safety of its people. Everything else is irrelevant.