FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Louise Heine
Destination Marketing Director
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 109 or louise@yorkpa.org

Brent Burkey
Communications Specialist
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 103 or bburkey@yorkpa.org


YORK, PA- The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau today released the following statement from Anne Druck, York County CVB President, in support of House Bill 794, which was passed today by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives:

"Today is a great day in the effort to achieve equitable local tourism funding for York County and others across Pennsylvania. Thank you to all lawmakers in the state House who voted today in favor of Representative Keith Gillespie's House Bill 794. We especially want to thank Representative Gillespie for his leadership in shepherding this bill through his chamber of the Legislature and express our gratitude to the York County delegation. At the same time, we know there is still work to be done, and the York County tourism community and stakeholders are committed to finishing the job. We ask for continued support from lawmakers to get this vital legislation for our Commonwealth's economy to the finish line."

House Bill 794, authored by Representative Gillespie, would give 54 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, including York County, the option to increase their hotel room taxes to 5 percent.

The bill now moves to the Pennsylvania Senate, where the legislative body's Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee held a hearing June 3 which included discussion of Senate Bill 656. The legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Scott Wagner, also calls for raising the maximum hotel room tax levied by most Pennsylvania counties today from 3 percent to 5 percent.

York County tourism stakeholders reached a consensus more than three years ago on how proceeds from a room tax rate of 5 percent would be invested to benefit our community's tourism infrastructure and the local economy, into which visitor spending injects more than $907 million annually.

Enabling legislation is required before the York County Commissioners could vote to raise the tax rate. York County's tax on lodging room stays has remained at 3 percent, while several neighboring counties have been allowed to benefit from higher tax rates of 5 percent to fund tourism promotion.

It is important to note that under the framework of the previously reached consensus, a vast majority of direct benefits would be realized by partner stakeholders throughout our York County tourism industry if the York County Commissioners enact a 5 percent tax.

The primary benefit of a higher room tax rate in York County - which is estimated to generate approximately $1 million more per year - is seen as a fiscally stronger community of tourism partners and stakeholders.

The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Mission is to maximize tourism expenditures and their economic impact in York County, PA, through comprehensive tourism sales and marketing programs. The York County CVB's Vision is for a York County where tourism is recognized for the value of its economic impact and its role in raising the profile of York County as a sought-after destination. For more information on the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, call 1-888-858-9675 or visit www.yorkpa.org.