A proposal to collect more money from visitors to overnight accommodations in Manatee County might be decided at the ballot box.
The Manatee County Tourist Development Council unanimously agreed June 10 to recommend the county commission adopt an ordinance to move forward with a referendum on adding a sixth cent to the bed tax.
Earlier in the year, the TDC voted to recommend the county commission authorize the tax increase, but a notice from the Florida Department of Revenue said a 2023 law changed the process for raising the tax — from commission approval to voter authorization.
The tourist development tax — also known as the resort tax or the bed tax — is collected on overnight accommodations of six months or less, including vacation rentals and hotel rooms.
Manatee County first enacted the tax in 1980 and has raised the collection figure over the years, with the last bump in 2009.
Based on the county’s 2023 tourist tax revenues, Manatee meets the criteria to be a high tourism-impact county eligible for an additional 1% tourist tax.
Florida counties can collect a sixth cent of tourist tax — the maximum possible — once they pass the threshold of $30 million a year in such taxes.
Manatee collected $30,090,618 in tourist tax revenues in the calendar year of 2023. Also, according to the BACVB, the county generated $625,890,749 in taxable rental revenues.
A penny increase in the tax would generate another $7 million to $8 million a year, according to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Elliott Falcione, who asked the TDC, meeting June 10 at the Center of Anna Maria Island in Anna Maria, to recommend a general election vote.
The BACVB is operated by the TDC.
Tourist tax revenues must be used for tourist-related programs and projects, and, in Manatee County, they fund beach renourishment, pier reconstruction, airport expansion, preserve and park enhancements, cultural and heritage centers and the ferry service operating between Anna Maria Island and Bradenton.
The deadline to place a question on the Nov. 5 general election ballot in Manatee County is Aug. 19.
In addition to the bed tax, there is a 7% sales tax collected on short-term accommodations.