County discusses new hotel tax

The Wilbarger County Commissioners Court met on Monday to discuss whether to enact a 2 percent hotel occupancy tax, the authority to enact it was authorized by the state legislature in SB 3127 last session. The matter was ultimately tabled.

Three members of the public spoke against implementing it and one spoke in favor of the tax. The matter was ultimately tabled on a 3-1 vote after a closed executive session in which the commissioners discussed the tax with County Attorney Corey Curtis and City Attorney Jon Whitsitt.

Wilbarger County Judge Greg Tyra said that the county could not compete with other counties on bringing events to the county.

“Its going to take some more money to get events here,” Tyra said. “We need to get more money in the pot to save the events we have, and hopefully add some new ones.”

See the Vernon record, July 15 edition for more details