(AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
Ahead of a windfall made possible by the federal government’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bailout, the Texas state budget appears to be in good shape this year. Despite expected shortfalls due to the pandemic, lawmakers in Texas should be able to breathe easy and not have to make any major decisions for the moment.
The state of the budget, however, does not appear to be stopping some Texas lawmakers from seeking to increase taxes. Not Democrats.
Republicans.
HB 2889, which addresses state occupancy tax for hotels, appears to be a tax hike. A result of this bill, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), would be that “tax liabilities would be calculated to include services unrelated to the furnishing of hotel rooms, like online travel agent service fees, and increase taxes on Texas’ travel and tourism industry.”