Sibley, Iowa — Voters in the rural portion of Osceola County are going to the polls this Tuesday, March 3rd to decide the fate of a hotel/motel tax.
This is coming to a vote because the new AmericInn will be outside of Sibley, which already has a tax. Because the motel is in the rural area, only the rural people can vote on it.
This is a vote for a tax that would be paid only by people who stay at the motel.
The text of the measure reads, “Shall the Board of Supervisors, Osceola County, Iowa, be authorized to impose a hotel and motel tax at the rate of five percent (5%) in the unincorporated area of Osceola County, effective July 1, 2015 which shall be used by Osceola County according to Iowa Code Section 423A.7(4), 2013 Code of Iowa.”
The code says the county has to spend at least fifty percent of the revenues from the tax for recreation, convention, cultural, or entertainment facilities including but not limited to memorial buildings, halls and monuments, civic center convention buildings, auditoriums, coliseums, and parking areas or for the promotion and encouragement of tourist and convention business in the county and surrounding areas. The other half can go into the general fund of the county.
