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Tompkins tourism budget proposes $500,000 transfer from room-tax reserves to airport; legislators raise reserve, equity concerns
Summary
County tourism staff recommended using $500,000 in hotel room-occupancy tax reserves to support airport operations in 2026, drawing questions from legislators about reserve depletion and program priorities including grants and capital support for Visit Ithaca and community arts.
Tompkins County tourism staff recommended using $500,000 from hotel room-occupancy tax reserves to support airport operations in 2026, a move that would exhaust most available room-tax reserves and prompted questions from multiple legislators at the Expanded Budget Committee meeting.
The tourism program presentation said, “the County Administrator recommendation to use $500,000 of room tax to support airport operations from the 2026 budget,” and noted the proposal would come from room-tax reserves rather than the general fund. (Nick Hemholt, tourism program presenter)
Why it matters: The tourism program is funded mostly by hotel room-occupancy taxes and uses those revenues to contract with Visit Ithaca, run grant programs, and support…
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