PANAMA CITY — Bay County commissioners Tuesday will consider setting a date for Panama City residents to vote on whether they support a tax on motel stays that could pay for a wide range of tourism projects.
The board is being asked to approve a proposed resolution providing for a referendum date of Sept. 30 for the Panama City voters to consider a 5 percent “bed tax,” a 5-cent-per-dollar surcharge that would be paid by guests in motels, hotels and short-term accommodations.
Panama CityBeach and Mexico Beach have the tax, as do many communities throughout the state.
The Bay County Commission is being asked to approve a resolution providing the referendum date and directing staff to schedule a public hearing to consider an ordinance approving the Tourist Development Tax Sub-County Taxing District for the city of Panama City, subject to referendum.
Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki said hoteliers strongly support the tax as it could bring in more tourism events that would bring more people to local motels.
The city has developed a plan of how the money might be spent if the tax is approved.
A resolution approved by Panama City states that the tax would give the city an opportunity to expand its tourist industry in leisure travel and the arts, business and military meetings, winter resident stays, family reunions and eco-tourism, “to name a few.”
Brudnicki said the bed tax revenues could be spent on projects such as enhancing the Marina Civic Center, improving boat landings to lure in fishing tournaments and events at the Visual Arts Center that the beach doesn’t offer.
“Panama City Beach and Mexico Beach already have (the bed tax),” he said. “For some reason, no one has ever done it for Panama City. Why, I don’t know.”
Brudnicki said the city has 2,500 motel rooms but there should be more with the redevelopment of the Panama City Marina. Six developers have submitted varying proposals.
“I’m sure there is going to be a hotel,” he said. “There should be a couple of them that are built within city limits, so absolutely (the bed tax) is something that we the citizens will be able to benefit from, and visitors will pay for that.”
On June 10, the city of Panama City and the Bay County Tourist Development Council approved of separate resolutions that called for: the expansion of the Bay County Tourist Development Sub-County Taxing District to include the city of Panama City and the formation of a Florida not-for-profit tax exemption corporation to promote tourism in Panama City.
In other action at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, the commission is scheduled to:
Conduct a public hearing on a proposal to allow the county’s fire services taxing district to charge more than its current cap of one mill in property taxes. In 1985, Bay County adopted an ordinance outlining the Unincorporated Areas Municipal Services Taxing Unit for Fire Service. “The one mill cap means the MSTU does not generate sufficient revenue to pay for fire services,” the agenda summary information states.
Direct staff to have trash, garbage and “derelict” vehicles and watercraft removed from the Pennymac Corp. property at 3907 West 26th Court. Staff is recommending that commissioners authorize the abatement of the “nuisance” and a lien be placed on the property to cover the cleanup costs, estimated to be $2,000.
Conduct a quasi-judicial public hearing and take action on a proposed zoning change from public/institutional to R-2 single family and duplex on a property at 20300 First Ave.
Conduct a public hearing to consider the abandonment of a portion of unimproved right of way platted because of the St. Andrews Bay Development Co. subdivision.