Rooms tax set to be raised

Taxachusetts. This is the state that helped start the USA , fighting the British against taxes. There is a clause in the constitution about retaking the government if it gets out of control again.. Well it has been out-of-control for quiyte some time. Well boys. What are you going to do. I know allof you are nothing but spineless wimps, beat-down by the system.

Nice rant. I've stayed in many cities across the nation where the lodging tax rate is 10, 12, or even 15%. It's even worse in 'resort' towns.

So, how about you put a lid on your new revolution - or maybe you'd like to voluntarily kick in a little more cash so that out-of-town visitors won't be charged an extra 2% on their hotel bill?

SubLiterate wrote:

Nice rant. I've stayed in many cities across the nation where the lodging tax rate is 10, 12, or even 15%. It's even worse in 'resort' towns.
So, how about you put a lid on your new revolution - or maybe you'd like to voluntarily kick in a little more cash so that out-of-town visitors won't be charged an extra 2% on their hotel bill?

Totally agree, most people in this 'burgh need a life, probably never travel out of county. When I travel never ask what room tax will be, its just a part of life.You will notice most places with up to 10% tax do not have to travel on cart paths.And you do not need a 3 day minimum.If local owners are worried about filling rooms maybe try and give people reasonable rates.

Its all about BUREUACRACYOBAMA.

Visitors will not be deterred from coming to Pittsfield because of a room tax increase. When my family makes travel plans and we check out lodging, we don't specifically ask what the room tax will be.

But I disagree with Mr. Lothrop who suggests that some of the revenue be given to the tourism industry. We already have agencies both local and state whose job it is to promote tourism (i.e. The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce).

Perhaps they should get clever and change their PR methods to deal with the economy (without more money)

I thought the whole purpose for this tax increase was to increase the tax base (and help the taxpayers).

I think the room tax should be raised. We are all paying 6.25% sales tax so why should we be the only ones to pay.

It's all just a write-off on my companies corporate account. Raise the tax to 25%. I don't pay and I don't care.

Pittsfield's brilliant Liberal Democrats raise yet another tax in the middle of a recession.
Brilliant, just brilliant!
And does anyone actually think that again electing a Liberal Democrat to be Mayor, whether named Ruberto or Bianchi, is going to lead to ANY changes in Pittsfield?
Will a Liberal Democrat restrain the city's entrenched and overpaid public employee unions?
Will a Liberal Democrat create any serious plan to lower real estate taxes?
Will a Liberal Democrat create any serious plan to cut the ballooning school budget?
Will a Liberal Democrat be able to attract business to the city to reverse the number of jobs lost to businesses leaving the city?

If only because of my personal reasons, I would have preferred to see some a) cost cutting and/or b) alternative forms of revenue creation.

But I predict that Spider will be right, that visitors will not be deterred by the rooms tax.

I tend to go on vacation based on location, and not based on a relatively low cost hike (emphasis on "relatively", as in relative to airfare, cost of meals, the hotel room rate, and all of the other costs that are accumulated during a vacation).

Still, I don't like the idea that the taxes were raised. It's an unfortunate direction.

Regards,

Allen Harris

SubLiterate wrote:

Nice rant. I've stayed in many cities across the nation where the lodging tax rate is 10, 12, or even 15%. It's even worse in 'resort' towns.
So, how about you put a lid on your new revolution - or maybe you'd like to voluntarily kick in a little more cash so that out-of-town visitors won't be charged an extra 2% on their hotel bill?

Yeah I am with you, I have stayed in cities that have murder rates more than double Pittsfield. By your logic, we can off a few more and still be below the national average. What's the big deal?

who really wants to stay in the pitts anyway?

great construction project in downtown!!!!!!

pittsfield's a joke.

Spider wrote:

Visitors will not be deterred from coming to Pittsfield because of a room tax increase.

No of course not. To me it is more about the immediate reaction to tax more and get more money. God forbid, Ruberto and Lothrop et al, think about actually controlling spending - that is for you and me to do.

Since City Councilors are trying to drive tourists and businesssmen away, why haven't city councilors dramatically raised landing and parking fees at Pittsfield Municipal Airport?
Or would that be too costly even for the Petricca's, and for those who breeze into town for Tanglewood concerts, and for the celebrities who make Berkshire County their home base but use the local airport for the bulk of their private jet air travel?

According to Pittsfield Airports web site:
Airport Services:
The Airport typically serves aircraft such as Gulfstream V, the largest of the corporate class aircraft and, on occasion, narrow body airline class equipment. In addition to business related flights, the Airport also serves medical air-ambulance flights, freight charters and flight training. The Pittsfield Municipal Airport is home to more than 50 aircraft, including helicopters and fixed wing, which are flown for personal and business use.

http://www.pittsfieldairport.com/

Why not raise all airport user fees by 100%?
That should drive away as much business as is lost by raising the room tax.

HellerClimateRefugee wrote:

Pittsfield's brilliant Liberal Democrats raise yet another tax in the middle of a recession.
Brilliant, just brilliant!
And does anyone actually think that again electing a Liberal Democrat to be Mayor, whether named Ruberto or Bianchi, is going to lead to ANY changes in Pittsfield?
Will a Liberal Democrat restrain the city's entrenched and overpaid public employee unions?
Will a Liberal Democrat create any serious plan to lower real estate taxes?
Will a Liberal Democrat create any serious plan to cut the ballooning school budget?
Will a Liberal Democrat be able to attract business to the city to reverse the number of jobs lost to businesses leaving the city?

Lower Real estate tax? Have you compared our real estate tax with New York or Vermont? You must not be a home owner. Maybe you better keep your comments to things that really know and not things that you here other people talk about at your conservative pep ralleys.

TAXME wrote:

Its all about BUREUACRACYOBAMA.

Ya just can't stand the black president can you dude? Well guess what....he's gonna be there a while, and you are going to just have to foam at the mouth for a few more years...enjoy

Peppy wrote:

<quoted text>
Yeah I am with you, I have stayed in cities that have murder rates more than double Pittsfield. By your logic, we can off a few more and still be below the national average. What's the big deal?

Nice non sequitur. But to ignore your point completely...

Last time I stayed in New York I paid 14.75% room tax PLUS a $2.00 per night secondary tax AND a $1.50 per night TERTIARY TAX! So, on my $399/night room, I paid $62.35 in taxes...

So when I stay at a fine Pittsfield establishment at a rate of, say,$99 per night, I was paying $3.96 in tax. Under the new rate I'll be paying $5.94 - a WHOPPING $2.02 more per night! Guess I'll have to stick to a Tall Starbucks in the morning instead of a Venti to keep on my budget...

Does anyone REALLY believe that is a show-stopper for people visiting Pittsfield? For visitors from real metropolitan areas, it's the equivalent to a mid-county resident visiting some third-world hole and paying $20 per night for their lodging - the extra couple of percent in tax won't even reach the threshold of being noticed...

Real Estate Tax wrote:

<quoted text>Lower Real estate tax? Have you compared our real estate tax with New York or Vermont? You must not be a home owner. Maybe you better keep your comments to things that really know and not things that you here other people talk about at your conservative pep ralleys.

But Pittsfield ain't New York nor Vermont.
You're attempting to compare apples with oranges.
Is there anyone in Pittsfield who thinks his/her real estate taxes are "reasonable" and could not be lower?

damnfool wrote:

<quoted text>
Ya just can't stand the black president can you dude? Well guess what....he's gonna be there a while, and you are going to just have to foam at the mouth for a few more years...enjoy

The racist here is the Liberal Democrat who insists on bringing race into the equation.
Anonymous "Damnfool", why did you feel the need to mention Obama's skin color?
Isn't it possible that the poster to whom you responded doesn't like Obama's political agenda?
Do YOU like Obama's political agenda?
Do you think Obama is doing a good job?
Is Obama being an effective Commander-in-Chief by dithering FOR WEEKS on his decision whether to send troops into Afghanistan while the military commanders on the ground have been calling for backup FOR MONTHS?
How is "Hope & Change" working out for you, pal?