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Pocomoke council backs 1% room-tax increase and will send county letter
Summary
Pocomoke City council voted to join other Worcester County jurisdictions in supporting a proposed increase to the county room tax from 5% to 6% and directed staff to draft a letter of support. Council members cited visitor-pay principle and provided room-count and revenue estimates.
The Pocomoke City mayor and council voted Oct. 20 to support a proposed 1-percentage-point increase in the Worcester County room tax, moving the rate from 5% to 6%, and authorized a letter to county officials expressing the city’s support.
Council members described the tax as charged to short-term guests — hotels, motels and similar accommodations — not residents. City figures cited in the discussion identified 213 total local rooms (Best Western 66, Econo Lodge 62, Motel 6 85). Using a baseline scenario of 50% annual occupancy at an average nightly rate of $90, council members said those figures produce about $3,500,000 in taxable room revenue; a 1% increase was estimated to yield roughly $35,000–$40,000 for the city per year.
A motion to increase the city’s room tax by 1% was made and seconded and approved by voice vote; council members said they will draft and sign a letter before the county deadline. The mayor said she would have the draft on council members’ desks by 11:59 that night.
Council members urged promoting local events — fairs, dock jam and other attractions — as a way to increase occupancy and generate higher room-tax receipts.
