At Neptune Township workshop sessions, held before regular open meetings, the Committee allows no comments from visitors.
On this occasion, Nov. 25, 2019, the workshop agenda called for a “discussion” about a “Hospitality tax ordinance.” Blogfinger was there.
A Neptune Township source said, prior to the meeting, “The State of New Jersey allows a municipality to impose a hotel, motel, and/or transient accommodation fee of up to 3%. The Committee will be discussing the possibility of adopting an ordinance to enact the tax.”
An ordinance name should reflects what it is about, but not in this case. The use of a euphemism (“hospitality”) suggests that there is more to this than is currently evident. Some have speculated that this is really about short term Airbnb rentals in town.
Unfortunately, no details were available.
Evidently, the plan would be to charge fees (taxes) to renters at Neptune hotels, motels, B and B’s, and Airbnb’s. The State and the Township would benefit financially.
Airbnb’s can cost over $600.00 per night, and there are many available in OG and surrounding towns. So there is a lot of money at stake.
This idea seems to be the brainchild of Mayor Rizzo. The other Committee members were clueless, and Committeemen Wiliams and Brantley said so. And the Township Attorney said that he needed more time for “research.”
So why did the Mayor introduce this ordinance prematurely when others on the Committee and the Township Attorney did not understand the proposal?
This proposed ordinance is not ready for prime time.
This tax idea sounds strange to us, but perhaps more details will be unpacked at the next Committee meeting. Or maybe the idea will blow over like a northerly wind that just misses our shore.
MICHELLE BRANCH “Strange.”