Bills that bear on region's economy clear legislature's Commerce Committee
Separate bills seeking establishment of a dedicated fund for tourism promotion and a study of the impact of casino job losses on eastern Connecticut’s workforce have been overwhelmingly approved by the state legislature’s Commerce Committee.
The tourism-funding bill, forwarded to the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee by an 18-2 vote, would create a statewide marketing and promotion account as a separate, non-lapsing General Fund account. It also would impose a 10 percent occupancy tax on bed-and-breakfast stays.
B&Bs currently pay the same 15 percent tax rate as hotels.
The bill would require that 13 percent of the revenue generated by the occupancy tax be deposited each month into the tourism-promotion account. The Department of Economic and Community Development would be required to spend money from the account on tourism promotion.
Stephen Tagliatela, managing member of the Saybrook Point Inn & Spa in Old Saybrook and a founder of the Connecticut Tourism Coalition, testified this month in support of the bill, as did other representatives of the tourism industry.
No opposition to the bill was voiced.
The bill calling for a workforce-transition study would require the DECD, in consultation with the Department of Labor, to analyze the impact job losses at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun have had on the workforce in eastern Connecticut and to evaluate how to transition former casino employees into jobs in other industry sectors.
The study would have to be submitted to the Commerce Committee by Jan. 1, 2017.
The committee passed the bill, 19-1.
Catherine Smith, the DECD commissioner, questioned the need for a formal study, citing her department’s “current budgetary restraints.”
In testifying on the bill, she told the committee her department lacks the “technical talent to assess these individuals and determine training needs” and that “numerous training resources” already are in place to serve state residents.
Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, and Rep. Kevin Ryan, D-Montville, co-sponsored the bill.
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