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Hotel worker Sherry Belongi urges Oconto to drop proposed 8% lodging tax
Summary
At an Oconto City Council meeting, hotel worker and public commenter Sherry Belongi urged the council to abandon a proposed 8% lodging tax, saying the town lacks amenities to justify the rate and that visitors will go to nearby cities with lower taxes.
Sherry Belongi, who identified herself as working at a local hotel and gave her address as 424 Congress Street, urged the Oconto City Council to abandon a proposed 8% lodging tax, saying it would deter guests and hurt local lodging businesses.
“Why are we starting at the highest we can possibly charge when we don't have the amenities to offer?” Belongi asked, noting Milwaukee charges 7% and Green Bay 10% and arguing visitors will choose other towns if Oconto adds fees. She said many of her guests are family or people attending funerals and reunions who would balk at higher rates.
Belongi said she has worked at the hotel since 2016 and described outreach efforts to attract visitors, including contacting fishing companies and local businesses. She said common guest complaints include limited evening dining and entertainment options, lack of ride services and delivery apps, and higher perceived costs if the tax is enacted.
A second public commenter associated with the hotel added that room rates traditionally ranged lower and said customers already complain about added fees, echoing the concern that an 8% tax would make Oconto less competitive with nearby cities.
The public comments were part of the meeting's public-input period; there was no formal vote on the lodging tax recorded in the transcript of this session.
Why it matters: lodging taxes directly affect travel costs and local tourism strategies. Council members typically consider such taxes to fund visitor services, marketing or capital projects; public opposition focused on price sensitivity for family and reunion travel and limited local amenities.
What happens next: During this meeting the council moved on to other agenda items and did not record a council vote on the lodging-tax proposal. Further action or any formal vote on the tax was not shown in the provided transcript.
