To the Editorial Team: Kingston Common Council member Michele Hirsch’s letter in last week's Kingston Wire deserves a response. Her contention that Ulster Strong didn’t use the most “real time” and accurate tax data is a pedantic argument intended to dismiss our overall point. The main point is that while creating a brand new tax on Kingston hotels and lodging, there were never serious discussions between City government and our local lodging providers.

The assumption that visitors will not mind paying more for their stay in Kingston is not based on any actual facts. No research was done to ascertain how much this tax might affect our lodging providers and the restauranteurs, shop owners, galleries, etc. whose businesses depend on visitors. In other places in the country, there is research that shows a negative effect from a bed tax including Riverside, Calif. and Huntsville, Ala.

High taxes are a deterrent not just to visitors, but to the businesses that serve them. Wouldn't it be better to keep our bed tax lower than other towns in our area? Lower taxes encourage business owners to invest in Kingston, and that investment in turn generates more taxes, not to mention jobs and paychecks. That's a better solution than punishing our local businesses by pushing tourists to other nearby, less expensive towns.

I completely agree with Michelle Hirsch's statement that “Public policy discussions must be grounded in real-time accurate data.” Let's get that real-time accurate data before enacting a new tax that could be a thorn in our side for the rest of time. I ask the Common Council table a vote on the bed tax until more research is done.

Don Tallerman

Chair, Ulster Strong

Kingston