EDITOR:
Here we go again with the Douglas County Board of Commissioners looking at another way to fund the county. It seems like the policy is "if it moves, tax it; if it doesn't move, tax it." Now the county proposes to tax the golden goose by increasing the Transit Occupancy Tax.
If the rate is increased to 13 percent (from the current 10 percent), Douglas County can stand with some of the highest tax rates at the Lake and in the state of Nevada. I would prefer to proudly advertise we have the lowest tax rates, and then watch the tourists stampede to our county.
But one reminder, it is not only out-of-towners who stay at Douglas County hotels. My family stays at Douglas County hotels some 6-12 nights a year, so this room tax will impact local residents as well. And, when we stay at these hotels, we also shop at local businesses, wine and dine at local restaurants, and visit the clubs and casinos. These are expenditures we might not otherwise make if we weren't staying in a hotel.
As I learned in Economics 101, if tax revenues are down because sales are down, you don't raise the rates depressing sales even more. Yes, I certainly hope Douglas County voters get a chance to have their say about this proposal both at public meetings and at the polls in November.
Vicki Hargrove
Gardnerville
