Suffolk County Hotel/Motel Tax: Questions Answered Over Who Has to Pay

NORTH FORK, NY - Questions have been swirling regarding Suffolk County's hotel/motel tax program — and just who, exactly, has to pay.

And now, it's time for business owners to get answers.

To that end, a joint Chamber of Commerce and business meeting on the hotel/motel tax will be held March 30 at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Hotel, located at 451 E Main Street in Riverhead, and is meant for all East End chambers and civic groups as well as members of the business community.

The meeting is especially critical for owners of motels, hotels and B & Bs to find out who specifically has to pay the tax, organizers said.

Back in January at a Mattituck Chamber of Commerce meeting, Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski discussed a proposal by Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy Jr. to collect a hotel motel tax from airbnb operators, and said many questions were swirling around the tax — some involving hotel, motel and B & B property owners who have not paid the tax in the past, as well as airbnb owners and private individuals who rent their homes for a number of weeks. Krupski said the meeting was being scheduled to help answer all questions.

The meeting is free for all to attend. The presentation will kick off at 7 p.m., with Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy giving a presentation on the hotel/motel tax program in Suffolk County.

Kennedy will be explaining who has to pay the 3 percent tax and where the revenue goes; a majority of the money goes to tourism promotion, so it's critical for all to understand how the East End benefits from the revenue, a release on the event stated.

Kristen Jarnagin, president and CEO of the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, will also be speaking on how the funds benefit tourism promotion and sharing her vision on how she sees the future of promotion on the East End and Long Island unfolding.

“There have been many questions on who has to pay this tax,” Krupski said. “It is also important to know where this money goes. The best way to get the right answers to these questions is to bring everyone together and hear it from the people who monitor and use these funds. Everyone can then get the correct information and ask their questions to understand the law”.

Those interested in attending or would like to get additional information should contact John Stype at Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski’s office at 631-852-3200 or john.stype@suffolkcountyny.gov before March 23, 2016.