The Chamber supports funding for the Arts, Culture and Tourism industries. These businesses are extremely important not only to our quality of life but also to our community economic sustainability and vitality, and they have taken the hardest hit during the pandemic. House Bill 6119, “An Act Concerning Arts, Culture, and Tourism Funding” is proposed to….
H.B. 6119 Talking Points
Increasing the percentage of the hotel and lodging tax that supports the Tourism Fund from 10 to 25%: • Will help prevent further economic injury, address the impact of the shutdown, and accelerate recovery of not only the Arts sector, but all of Connecticut. The arts and culture sector is an economic driver for Connecticut and has been hit hard by the pandemic.
• Does not take funding away from another legislative priority because hotel and lodging tax revenue not currently allocated to the tourism fund goes to Connecticut’s general fund.
• Does not raise the hotel and lodging tax. It simply allocates a larger percentage of that tax revenue to the Tourism Fund.
Fixing the percentage of the Tourism Fund that is allocated to Tourism at 60% and Arts and Culture at 40% reflects how the fund is allocated now. It does not change how much funding is allocated to each.
Renaming the Tourism Fund to the Arts, Culture and Tourism fund more accurately describes its role in providing state funding to all three of these sectors.
The Commerce Committee will have a hearing on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. via Zoom. All testimony is due on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 by 3:00 P.M. You can submit testimony via zoom at the hearing. To testify in person first register HERE. Registration will close Wed Feb 10 at 3:00 PM. You can also testify by phone at 860-240-0380 or email written testimony in word or pdf format to cetestimony@cga.ct.gov.