Deadline set for overdue hotel taxes

Inns and hotels inside the Town of Bath who have been putting off paying their Hotel/Motel tax now have until February 1 to pay off their overdue tax. The Bath town council set the deadline during their January 18 meeting.

Mayor Susan Webster said County Prosecutor Debra McLaughlin had recommended taking two steps toward collecting more than $30,000 in overdue hotel tax.

First, the council would set a specific deadline for payments and overdue tax reports. Then, Webster would draft a letter to late payers, notifying them of the deadline and reminding them of their requirement to turn over the 3% tax collected from lodging guests in town.

“I thought that’s what Police Chief Pearrell did already,” Councilman Scott Merki said.

Webster said the letter would be a more official demand for money, which would be sent through certified mail and regular delivery.

“How many days are we obligated to give them?” Merki asked during the discussion about setting a deadline for payment.

“We’re not obligated to give them any,” Webster said.

Some delinquencies date back more than a year.

Council agreed that the February 1 deadline was sufficient. The letter will be sent out to three of 12 lodging businesses operating in the town, Webster said.