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Visitors are using public resources that are normally funded by taxes, and depending on the ratio of visitors to residents this can really turn out to be an unf
by vorpalhex 7y ago
Visitors are using public resources that are normally funded by taxes, and depending on the ratio of visitors to residents this can really turn out to be an unfair deal for residents - see any small coastal town whose population inflates 40% when it's tourist season.
An occupation tax is because you're using public resources and don't normally pay taxes to that jurisdiction.
- dehrmann 7y agoIt depends. Cities tend to get income from sales, property, and income/payroll taxes. Some jurisdictions don't have all of those, but hotels pay property tax, visitors pay the sales tax, and as a second-order effect, jobs attributable to tourism pay income tax. It's not like visitors aren't paying taxes. You also didn't touch on how there's no electoral protections as a check on these taxes.
- vorpalhex 7y agoSales taxes and property taxes pay different things. Sales tax also affects residents more than tourists, and it'd be unfair to ramp it up to compensate for thousands of people descending on your town. There are electoral protections as a check - for the residents who live in the town. You're a visitor to a place, you don't get to change how it's run. If you don't like it, don't visit that place.