Council to take action on hospitality tax ordinance

When it meets Wednesday, the Yuma City Council will take final action on calling for a special election to renew the 2 percent hospitality tax.
 
The council will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Yuma City Hall, One City Plaza.
 
In the May 19 special election, city voters will be asked to approve amending the Yuma City Charter to extend the 2 percent tax through June 30, 2024.
 
The tax, first approved in 1970 and renewed in 1993, is levied on hotels, restaurants and bars. The revenue funds city parks and recreation, Yuma Crossing and the promotion of conventions and tourism. The tax will sunset at the end of June unless voters approve the extension.
 
The election ordinance further seeks an amendment to the charter to raise the dollar amounts designated for each category funded by the tax. The proposal is to designate $2.5 million for parks and recreation, up from $1.2 million; $600,000 for the Yuma Crossing area, up from $400,000; and $400,000 for conventions and tourism, up from $200,000.
 
Any balance left over could be applied only to those three categories.
 
A third change would expand the funding for parks and recreation to include facilities through the city. Currently, that portion of the funding is limited to the Yuma Civic Center, Desert Hills Municipal Golf Course and the city's baseball complex.
 
If voters approve renewing the tax, it is expected to generate approximately $4.5 million in revenue for the next fiscal year.
 
Leading up to Wednesday's regular meeting, the council will meet Tuesday for its roundtable worksession at 3 p.m. in Conference Room 190, followed by its regular worksession at 5 p.m. in the council chambers.
 
During the roundtable, Charles Flynn, executive director of the Yuma Crossing Heritage Area, will brief the council on the Heritage Area's annual budget and operations, current and planned projects, funding sources and the leveraging potential of the 2 percent hospitality tax.
 
During the regular worksession, Nina Edidin, who is with Community Legal Services, will brief the council on the city's Fair Housing Program, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and the Community Block Grant program.


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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853