Higher hotel tax could aid officers

The Clarion-Ledger, 3/4/8

Jackson city officials want the hotel-motel occupancy tax increased to fund raises for police officers.

City Council members voted in a special meeting Monday to push for legislation that would authorize the city to raise the hotel-motel occupancy tax from 75 cents to $4.25 per day for each occupied room.

The city has about 5,000 hotel rooms subject to the occupancy tax. In addition to the 75-cent per-room tax, customers already pay 7 percent sales tax and 4 percent hotel tax, according to the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau.