Springfield City Council could vote Monday, January 12, to take a 3% hotel/motel license tax back to voters in April.
A public hearing will be held on the ordinance, and council will be allowed to vote Monday evening after first reading since it's an "emergency bill."
The tax increase is needed to fund a proposed convention and event center at the site of the current Springfield Expo Center.
The measure failed in November. Since then, City Manager David Cameron has held a series of listening sessions, and the city surveyed residents.
Of those surveyed, 18% said a clear explanation of community benefits might make them more likely to support a future proposal. Fifteen percent cited a stronger downtown revitalization impact for a possible yes vote; and 15% said they would need to be assured that visitor taxes – not local taxes would fund the project. Seventeen percent said they would want more transparency and public input to support it. See more survey results here.
At a recent listening session, the executive director of Visit Springfield said the city is losing money every day that it doesn’t have an adequate convention and event center to attract events.
The ordinance to be considered Monday night includes a sunset of the 3% increase in the hotel/motel tax after 35 years.
The city council meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Regional Police-Fire Training Center, 2620 W. Battlefield.
The public may attend the meeting or view the meeting here. If you wish to speak about an agenda item, you may sign up with the city clerk when you arrive.
Citizens wishing to submit comments to City Council may do so using the citizen comments form.
