Hospitality Tax Doles Out Full $150,000

After a grueling process of evaluating seven nonprofits, the Summerville Hospitality Tax committee recommended the full $150,000 budget be distributed among the town's most-effective events.

The tax grants to nonprofits are designed to aid events that promote the town to tourists and residents. The hospitality tax is a 2 percent tax imposed on sale of meals, food and beverages, according to the town ordinance. 

This year, $240,000 was requested from applying organizations. 

The final breakdown of the $150,000 is:

• $52,615.23 to Summerville YMCA Flowertown Festival

• $39,873.08 to Summerville DREAM events

• $18,714,45 to Summerville Community Orchestra

• $20,844.19 to Sculpture in the South's Show and Sale

• $8,243.79 to Flowertown Players

• $3,756 to Dorchester Children's Center's Scrumptious Summerville Kitchen Tour

• $5,952.18 to The Arts Business Civic Coalition's Wine & Art Under the Pines

The five-person committee made recommendations based on need and numbers individually. All five recommendations were then averaged.

However, the original added averages left a surplus of $3,129, so that extra money was then divided up pro rata among the seven nonprofits and added to their final sum.

The next step will be taken at the town's finance committee meeting 8 a.m. Monday at town hall. Nonprofits were asked to go to the meeting to answer questions of committee members.