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Extensions of the county's occupancy and 8% sales tax will be on the agenda when the state Assembly returns to session this week.
Both bills were among the legislation laid aside when the state legislative session officially ended in the early morning hours of June 10. Both bills have passed the state Senate.
"So I anticipate the occupancy tax renewal and the continuation of the sales tax at 8% will be approved next week," Goodell said. "We're coming back into session on Tuesday and I've been assured both bills are cleared for approval."
Renewal of the occupancy tax will bring some changes to the way the bed tax is currently distributed. Counties are permitted to have a 3% occupancy tax, but need state approval to increase that amount. The county has a 5% occupancy tax, which is collected from short term renters in Chautauqua County when they use hotels, motels or short-term rental properties, including Airbnbs and bread-and-breakfast locations.
Under the new bed tax formula, at least one-half of the money in the tourism and convention fund must be allocated to the Chautauqua County Visitor's Bureau, with the rest used for trade shows, special events, parks, recreational facilities and tourism attractions. The biggest change is that one-half of the money in the Lake Management and Enhancement Fund be used for control, treatment or removal of invasive and nuisance weeds, reduction of harmful algal blooms or shoreline cleanup. Remaining money can be used for fishing, boating or recreational activities, reduction of watershed erosion, sedimentation and nutrient loading or similar activities.
According to the bill's legislative justification, the bill is designed to make sure half of the lake management and enhancement funds are used for activities performed by the Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Cassadaga Lakes Association, Findley Lake Watershed Foundation, Bear Lake Association, and for Mobitrac and shoreline cleanup.
The money is not supposed to be used for third-party staff expenses for project evaluation, supervision or related management or administrative expenses, such as the county watershed coordinator or the Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance.
"That will result in a substantial shift, or should result in a substantial shift to in-lake management," Goodell told The Post-Journal this spring. "A significant portion in the past has gone for watershed erosion projects. But the state provides for funding available through our Environmental Conservation Fund and right now we have about $4.2 million of state grants for watershed management. So my point was the tourism industry needs a healthy lake now and at least half should go for in-lake maintenance now, and we have a much much larger pot of money available for watershed management so we should focus our efforts on bringing that money in, as we have the millions that are available for that."
Not all county legislators were happy with the changes proposed by Goodell and Borrello. Legislator Susan Parker, D-Fredonia, said the county should have the final say on how the occupancy tax money is spent, not the state. Only Bob Bankoski, D-Dunkirk, and Tom Nelson, D-Jamestown, agreed with an amendment proposed by Parker that would have stated the Chautauqua County Legislature "is in the best position to determine the allocation of occupancy tax funds to manage tourism and the many lakes and waterways of Chautauqua County."