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Avery Commissioners Agree to Pursue State Legislature to Have A County Occupancy Tax

By Tim Gardner

The Avery County Board of Commissioners will be pursuing an occupancy tax for the county.

At their regular monthly meeting in April (5th), the commissioner voted unanimously (5-0) to approve a resolution in support of an occupancy tax.

The resolution states support of having the State of North Carolina to authorize the county to levy a room occupancy tax on hotels, motels, lodges and other dwellings that hosts visitors or tourists, of up to six percent.

County Attorney Michelle Poore advised the commissioners that the resolution is a formal request to the state legislature to allow the county to set a potential occupancy tax.

Commissioner Dennis Aldridge made the motion to adopt the resolution and commissioner Tim Phillips seconded the motion.

The other three commissioners–chairperson Martha Hicks, Wood Hall (Woodie) Young, Jr. and Blake Vance cast the remaining votes in favor.

Avery County Manager Phillip Barrier, Jr. said having an occupancy tax would be extremely positive for Avery County and in various ways.

“If we can obtain an occupancy tax, it would provide additional revenue that could be used for many different programs–all of which would greatly benefit the county–as well as provide various jobs that would happen because of tourism through the occupancy tax,” he noted.