Council seeks public input on hospitality tax

  A proposal to ask voters to approve renewing the city's 2 percent hospitality tax will be the subject of a public hearing when the Yuma City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Yuma City Hall, One City Plaza.

  The council has previously discussed calling a special election on May 19 to seek renewal of the tax that is due to sunset in June.

  But first, council members want public input.

  "We're asking people what they want to see on the ballot," said Greg Hyland, city spokesman. "Do they want it to remain 2 percent across the board or 1.5 percent for restaurants? Do they want it extended for 15 years or 20 years - or never? What areas do they want funded?"

  The tax is on hotels, restaurants and bars. Currently, it helps funds the Deyo Complex that includes the Yuma Civic Center, Desert Hills Golf Course and recreational facility there as well as riverfront development, Yuma Crossing Park, Yuma Visitors Bureau, Main Street/Heritage Festivals and the Yuma Film Commission.

  The council is considering retaining the same uses if the tax is renewed, but hopes to expand its reach to parks and recreational facilities beyond the Deyo Complex to other areas in the city.

  If the 2 percent tax is renewed, the city will receive approximately $4.5 million in projected revenues during fiscal year 2009-2010 for parks and recreation, tourism promotion and the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.

  If the ballot question fails at the election, the council will have to re-evaluate city programs, services, operations and capital funding needs that the tax currently supports.

  Wednesday's council meeting will be preceded by a roundtable work session at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Conference Room 190 at Yuma City Hall.

   Bob Stull, deputy city administrator, will provide an update on a previous meeting with contractors, who sought changes to the city's selection process for engineering and architectural services to give more weight to the local firms.

  The roundtable will be followed by the regular work session at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chambers. The council will hear a staff briefing on the 2 percent hospitality tax.

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