Room tax increase dies quietly
Though the room tax bill that would have enabled what are known as code home rule counties on the Eastern Shore to increase their room tax from 5 percent to 6 percent failed to cross the finish line, elected officials are encouraged about what the 2024 session could hold....
“I find it extremely disappointing and frustrating that a local and enabling-only hotel and tax rate bill was not given local courtesy,” Carozza said. “I pointed out that over 65 percent of the tax would be paid by out-of-state visitors and that half of Maryland counties have a rate of 6 percent and above, including Baltimore City and Baltimore County that have 9.5 percent (each) and all this bill did was enable a maximum ... of 6 percent....”
“It became an issue between Republicans and Democrats,” Meehan said, referring to the Senate Democrats who took a stand against the bill in committee at the eleventh hour. “And I think that was … something that caught us off guard. Because this was a local issue. It was something that affected the four code counties here on the Eastern Shore. All four counties supported it.”
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