Amador County – Amador County Supervisors on Tuesday heard support for increasing the county Transient Occupancy Tax on hotel and motel visits with a plan to use the money to promote the county.

Amador County Business Council President Jim Gullett of Vino Noceto recommended the revenue be used to attract more people to the county, who will spend more money here. He said marketing would be helped by “branding” Amador County, having a tight focus, and coordinating and leveraging key beneficiaries, those being the hospitality industry, the wine industry and towns.

Business Council Executive Director Jim Conklin recommended raising the TOT tax by 4 percent to 10 percent, disbursing the 6 percent existing TOT as it is now allocated, and putting the new 4 percent tax into a comprehensive marketing effort by one group, the Amador Council of Tourism.

Supervisor John Plasse said if the tax becomes more defined, the ballot measure could become a two-thirds majority. Conklin said an advisory ballot measure could accompany the TOT question. He said he has had success in a TOT tax increase in Tuolumne County in 2010, which now seeks a ballot measure to clear up loopholes and include all RV and trailer parks in the tax. He said Calaveras County has stayed away from TOT measures because they do not see the support for tourism.

Supervisor Vice Chairman Richard Forster said there are some other people here today from Amador Chamber of Commerce, Mother Lode Tea Party, Republican Central Committee and Democratic Central Committee who need to get on board.

Amador Council of Tourism Board President, Tracey Towner said she had contacted all of the groups and “in concept there has been no opposition whatsoever.” Maurine Funk, executive director of ACT said her board had not voted on formal support, but is interested in a TOT increase.

Amador County Chamber of Commerce President Mark Borchin said the Chamber executive board has talked and “we’ve all agreed that we are behind this.” Borchin said Amador Council of Tourism “is a marketing entity that has proven it can reach outside of our community and bring folks in.”

The Tea Party’s Terry Nielson said “we’re against raising taxes of course, but we also have concerns about the health of this county,” and he needs to take it to his board. Supervisor Ted Novelli asked that Nielsen report back with the Tea Party board’s comments.

Forster said the Tea Party will be part of the workshop because they are stakeholders and they are a “block of people.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.