MARION, Ill.—At last night’s (Monday, June 9, 2014) Marion City Council meeting, the council passed an ordinance for a Hotel-Motel Tax called “the Sunset effect.”
The ordinance was adopted in May and will go into effect July 1, 2014 and expire after sunset June 30, 2016. Hotel tax is already at 14 percent in the city.
The motion passed on 3 “yea”s and 2 “no”s with councilman Anthony Rinella making the motion. Mayor Butler said “no” as did council member John Goss.
This was all brought on to help fund the new Hub Rec Center if needed. Mayor Butler says he thinks it would be a mistake. Butler also says he thinks they are trying to take advantage of travelers and with the expected 11,000 members it is not necessary.
Rinella says “We have a 15 million dollar building and I don’t want it to be a burden to the taxpayers of Marion.”
It is anticipated to be over 2 million dollars operating expense the first year. Memberships will cost 40 dollars per month for adults and 30 for seniors.