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Hotel tax meeting set for Tuesday

Posted at 11:07 AM, Jan 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-16 14:07:27-05

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Officials from Yes! For a Better San Diego will be having a presentation on the proposed visitor hotel tax increase at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

The discussion will include a question-and-answer session, as well as exact figure projections on how the proposed tax increase could benefit the homeless, San Diego roads, and pay for a convention center expansion.

Per the initiative, raising lodging taxes by 1.25 percent peripherally around San Diego and 3.25 in the downtown area is projected to yield $40 billion for the local economy and create more than 7,000 permanent jobs.

RELATED: Proposed tax increase expands convention center

Proponents of the measure also claim the increase would generate $2 billion for homelessness programs and services, as well as channel $600 million into roads and infrastructure repair.

Some notable speakers scheduled for the presentation include Michael McDowell, president of the San Diego Lodging Industry Association; Murtaza Baxamusa, director of planning and development for the San Diego Building Trades Family Housing Corporation; and Skip Hull, vice president of CIC Research.

RELATED:Convention center expansion possibly on November ballot

The end goal for visitor hotel tax bill proponents is to gather enough signatures for approval onto the November 2018 ballot.

City News Service contributed to this report.