Editor,
The Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation is promoting an ordinance — without most businesses and residents being aware — that would require hotel customers in the town of Comfort to pay an additional 7% county Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) on top of the 6% state HOT they already pay (13% combined rate).
According to the EDC plan, this would be used to promote the tourism industry primarily in Comfort. But at the July 22 Commissioner’s Court meeting, it was revealed that this tax would apply to all hotels, motels, B&Bs, short term rentals (STRs), transient apartment buildings and transient condos in the unincorporated county areas as well (Bergheim, Kendalia, Sisterdale, Waring, Welfare, etc.). Proponents of this additional tax claim it will be a “silver bullet” to stop the loss of businesses in Comfort; but the city of Boerne is also losing businesses even though they have this additional, local tax (the Boerne HOT tax is poorly administered and includes numerous permitting fees and regulations).
