Community Corner

'No Teeth to It': Hotel's $19,500 Tax Delinquency Has Northfield Looking to Change Law

Northfield's lodging tax rules have not been effective in make one hotel pay the $19,500 it owes.

For more than two years, one Northfield hotel has refused to pay the city the $19,500 in lodging tax it owes, and asking nicely hasn't been enough for Northfield to force the hotel to hand over the cash.

At its Tuesday meeting, the Northfield City Council directed staff to look into strengthening the lodging tax's enforcability by adding it to the property tax bill, according to the Northfield News.

“If there are no teeth to it, then it doesn’t make sense,” Mayor Dana Graham said.

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The Northfield News has more about the proposed changes:

The changes would, if the council pursues them, boost the city’s power to collect the funds with an approach used for other delinquent payments, according to city documents.

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Finance Director Kathleen McBride said the one business with at least a two-year history of delinquency fueled “ill will among other businesses.”

The option presented would provide a lien against the property and may protect the city if the business fails, she said.

 


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