Connecticut restaurant and hotel owners support a bill that would require money generated from the state’s 1% additional sales tax on meals to be sent back to cities and towns.
The bill would send 50% of the revenue generated from the 1% additional meals and beverage sales tax back to the towns that generated it. The other 50% would go into the state’s tourism budget.
The money would be about $1.9 million a year for a city like New Haven, $1.2 million for Danbury, and $2.4 million for West Hartford, said Scott Dolch of the Connecticut Restaurant and Hospitality Association.
“We are hoping that they will use that money to reinvest in their cities and towns, but also reinvest in the hospitality sector,” Dolch said
The 50% for tourism is much needed because the state’s tourism and marketing budget has been severely cut in recent years.
“At its high point, it was nearly up to $15 million during the Malloy administration. The tourism budget is now down to $4.5 million, really not even close to pacing with our peers in the northeast,” Dolch said.
The Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee is scheduled to vote on the bill this week.
