Campground Surcharge

[NCC-1701A]

Originally Posted by Jim.B1

By adding a surcharge to out-of-state residents kind of flies in the face of tourism!
... don't penalize me for visiting your State as a tourist.

But it's done almost everywhere in hotels worldwide. Sock it to the visitors to help keep that cost off your residents. Hotel taxes are INSANE they are so much. Simple extension, for the politician mind, to extend that to campgrounds.

[Rickinnocal]

Originally Posted by UFO Pilot

The KOA in Petaluma is one of them and they charge 12% tax last time I checked. This is charged to everyone regardless of what State they are from. I haven't seen or heard of the 35% fee.

We take the grandkids to Petaluma KOA often. I confirm, just the 12% lodging tax - Although that's bad enough given that the minimum cost for a water and electric only site is $85/night plus tax!

I don't know what the criteria is for charging the lodging tax. When just the wife and I go up to that area without the grandkids we stay at the County Fairgrounds, which is $36/night for water/electric/sewage and doesn't charge the lodging tax.

Richard

[UFO Pilot]

Originally Posted by Rickinnocal

We take the grandkids to Petaluma KOA often. I confirm, just the 12% lodging tax - Although that's bad enough given that the minimum cost for a water and electric only site is $85/night plus tax!

I don't know what the criteria is for charging the lodging tax. When just the wife and I go up to that area without the grandkids we stay at the County Fairgrounds, which is $36/night for water/electric/sewage and doesn't charge the lodging tax.

Richard

Hotel taxes are generally imposed by Cities and as far as I know Petaluma is the only City around here that charges them.

[knit]

Originally Posted by Wanderer23

Is this true or just another rumor?

Rumor for sure. I hear in Texas that out of state people have to pay a 35% tax on BBQ.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by knit

Rumor for sure. I hear in Texas ... on BBQ.

An the best one in Texas claim to follow the original Louisiana style.

More than a rumor. BIL lives in Texas and stops first to get Louisiana BBQ before doing anything else.

RV is better in Texas unless you prefer Casino parking lots

[MapleKing]

Originally Posted by Jim.B1

By adding a surcharge to out-of-state residents kind of flies in the face of tourism!
I can appreciate Senior Discounts, Military Discounts and RV Club Member Discounts, but don't penalize me for visiting your State as a tourist.

You could look at it the opposite way and say that it's a discount to state residents. Personally, I don't have a problem with a state facility paid for by state taxes offering a discount to state residents and making others pay a higher rate. It happens on the local level with parks and museums and on the state level with state parks and other facilities.

Originally Posted by NCC-1701A

But it's done almost everywhere in hotels worldwide. Sock it to the visitors to help keep that cost off your residents. Hotel taxes are INSANE they are so much. Simple extension, for the politician mind, to extend that to campgrounds.

I agree that hotel taxes really get abused by some jurisdictions. I guess the philosophy is that overnight visitors are easy marks and less likely to complain. The problem is that the taxes are rarely used for tourism but rather for everyday expenses that have nothing to do with tourism. That's not proper.

[okmunky]

Originally Posted by Harrysait

Have not run into that charge in Calif.
In Washington State Parks they add $10 reservation fee and $5 fee for out of staters! So one night came to $55!
I thought on line reservations are supposed to reduce cost, no humans needed!

The state outsources that to a private company. That fee is their profit.