For the General Assembly to approve an occupancy tax increase, all state house and senate members from that district must approve the measure. This is the case with Wilson County and House Bill 1244 to increase the county’s occupancy tax by 3% to make the new tax rate 6%. If approved, this will give the Wilson County Board of Commissioners the ability to levy an additional occupancy tax on the rental accommodations within the county’s jurisdiction.
If approved, the 6% rate will be the highest rate in the area, matching those of Edgecombe and Pitt Counties. With Wayne and Greene counties having no occupancy tax, Johnston at 3% and Nash at 5%, it puts Wilson in a group of counties that are uncompetitive with the neighboring rates.
County |
Rate
|
| Wilson | 3%; with new increase = 6% |
| Wayne | None; Goldsboro 5% |
| Johnston | 3%; Benson, Kenly, Selma & Smithfield 2% |
| Nash | 5% |
| Edgecombe | 6% |
| Pitt | 6% |
| Greene | None |
Source for rates here
This bill is scheduled to be discussed in the House Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Occupancy Tax on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at 10am. Below are the members of the General Assembly supporting the tax increase:
- Representative Susan Martin (Rep) from Pitt and Wilson counties supports the bill
- Representative Jean Farmer-Butterfield (Dem) from Pitt and Wilson counties supports the bill
- Senator Angela Bryant (Dem) from Halifax, Nash, Vance Warren and Wilson counties supports the bill
