 Local business owners are raising concerns over a proposed hospitality tax by the Bemidji City Council, which would help subsidize Bemidji's event center. Josh Peterson spoke with local hotel owners and shares their thoughts on the tax proposal. In Monday's State of the City address, when speaking about the Samford Center, Bemidji Mayor Rita Albright said that all property owners, both business and residential, are helping support Bemidji's event center through property taxes. She added that just over 5,000 taxable parcels in the city fund the entire subsidy, which is why some members of the City Council say there is a need for a hospitality tax. Implementing a hospitality tax is an opportunity to provide real, individual property owners relief, while assuring the Samford Center is operated and maintained as a community asset. The hospitality tax is said to offer property tax relief. Some Bemidji hotel owners don't see it that way. They see it as another tax just added to the cost of doing business in Bemidji. To throw more tax on us, I wouldn't want to see that. Now, at what point do you get prohibitive for people coming into town? For the Super 8 that sits on the northwest side of Bemidji, when events are held at the Samford Center, the Super 8 does not see a direct impact, feeling that the tax would only penalize the business. Right now we don't see a lot of people coming in for the Samford Center. We really don't. Stereotype or the stigma out there is we're benefiting. We don't see much at all. For two of Bemidji's largest hotels, the Hampton Inn and the Double Tree Hotel, it's the need to see successful results coming out of the Samford Center before adding a tax to pay for it. I mean, how much money can you keep shoving into that thing? That place has got to start producing and make some money. It's all there's to it. If the city was to remove the Samford Center's management company Venue Works, some business owners could be more open to supporting the idea. I'm tired of listening to excuses. Let's get some work done. If they can't do this and can't do that and we're just as good as everybody else, nonsense. I think they're just looking for excuses and it's too easy to raise taxes. One common theme shared among these business owners is being responsible and working within a budget. Whether it's a business or a household, if you have 50, don't spend 51. And you can't do that and then ask for someone else to make up that dollar for you and that's what the city has to be careful of. In Bemidji, Josh Peterson, Lakeland News. The hospitality tax has a long way to go before it would become a reality. Right now the city is seeking public opinion and is looking to build support for the tax. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.