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Residents urge cigarette‑butt recycling pilot and raise lodging‑tax shortfall concerns at county meeting
Summary
Public speakers urged the board to fund a seven‑month cigarette‑butt recycling pilot and raised concerns that Marquette County may be missing about $2.2 million a year in lodging tax assessments, citing short‑term rentals and campgrounds.
During two public‑comment periods, residents pressed the board on separate community issues. Margaret (speaker 8) urged the county to pay for a seven‑month pilot to expand countywide cigarette‑butt collection and recycling, offering to collect full‑time from June through December and provide meeting reports. She said May collections included roughly 20 pounds of cigarette butts and that TerraCycle processes the material for recycling.
Jeremy Johnson presented tourism and lodging figures and argued the county is missing about $2.2 million per year in uncollected lodging tax revenue, suggesting the shortfall is driven by campgrounds, RV parks and short‑term rentals not currently assessed. He cited 2024 visitation and lodging‑spend figures and compared Marquette’s collection rate to other regional markets before urging the county to review bylaws to include more types of lodging in assessments.
"Marquette County is missing $2,200,000 per year in uncollected lodging tax revenue," Johnson said, citing Travel Marquette and MEDC reports he reviewed. The board acknowledged the concerns and commissioners suggested staff and relevant agencies coordinate further review.
