Commissioners to discuss doubling 'bed tax' on hotel stays on Friday

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners on Friday is expected to consider an increase in the county hotel lodging tax, or "bed tax." Commissioner David Moore said at Tuesday's board meeting that the board is considering doubling the county hotel bed tax from 3 percent to 6 percent. If the proposal is sent to voters, it would be the third time since 2021. Two prior attempts to pass the issue as part of a ballot measure failed. The Lorain County Convention & Visitors Bureau currently receives 3 percent of the gross receipts from hotel, bed and breakfast and short-term rentals in the county. Moore said the proposal is to double that. He said the state now allows counties to collect that money and spend it on other unrelated projects. Those might include infrastructure or security, such as the Lorain County Sheriff's Office. A proposed 0.25-percent sales tax increase to fund the sheriff's office failed by a margin of more than 2 to 1 in November. "We see this as another revenue stream to help mitigate the fact that the sheriff's office is going to be short, and we're doing everything we can to assist the sheriff's office in that shortfall," Moore said. Messages seeking further comment on a possible increase in the bed tax were left for the commissioners on Wednesday. The board will meet at 9:30 a.m. Friday on the fourth floor of the County Administration Building at 226 Middle Ave. in Elyria. The meeting also will be streamed live on the commissioners' YouTube channel. The board last put a 3 percent bed tax increase on the countywide ballot in 2021 to help fund a proposed county convention center. Voters defeated it by a ratio of nearly 2-to-1. The new tax would have raised an estimated $600,000 to $700,000 annually. At the time, Moore said the board failed to educate the public enough on the need for the tax. The board tried again in 2022, putting the 3 percent tax on the ballot in May that year. Voters rejected it again, that time by a vote of 57 percent for to 43 percent against. Board members also are expected to vote Friday on a 2026 county budget. Estimated tax revenue is $87 million, Moore said Tuesday. County officials asked for $10 million to $11 million more than that in proposed spending, the commissioners said previously. Also Tuesday, Commissioner Jeff Riddell said more budget discussions with elected officials in the county may need to be had after Friday's potential vote. "Our hope is that we will have it on Friday, what we consider to be the last, initial budget or the first eventual budget, but there may be some work that may need to be done after Friday," he said. Moore agreed, saying Tuesday the budget is a "living document." Some cuts already have been made. Riddell said there is no money in the 2026 for large capital improvement projects like infrastructure, upgrades to buildings or economic development. "We cannot deficit spend," Commissioner Marty Gallagher said. "These are tough decisions we're going to have to make." Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.