Medina’s new 2% ‘bed tax’ awaits governor’s signature

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Hart Hotel is one of the lodging businesses in Medina. Hart Hotel includes five rooms and two lofts on the third floor of 113 West Center St.

MEDINA – Legislation in the State Capital has advanced through the Legislature and now only awaits the governor’s signature to allow the Village of Medina to impose a 2 percent tax on local bed tax for hotels, motels, boarding houses and short-term rentals.

The village has tried for several years since 2018 to get the tax through the Legislature. State Sen. Rob Ortt had been reluctant to support a new tax, but on May 22 he sponsored the bill that passed in the Senate. Assemblyman Steve Hawley backed the legislation in the Assembly.

The village will use the revenue from the tax to support the Orleans Economic Development Agency with infrastructure projects and land development in Medina, which will

increase economic development and attract new businesses for a growing

tax base within the village, according legislation passed by the Assembly and Senate.

Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman said Gov. Kathy Hochul has until Dec. 31 to sign the bill for it to take effect. The new tax will be collected by the village clerk’s office.

Village officials said the occupancy tax is on visitors to the community, not local residents. It would provide much-needed revenue for the village to promote tourism and economic development, leading to more visitors to help local businesses, village leaders said.

Orleans County also imposes a 4 percent occupancy tax that generates about $100,000 a year and is used solely by the county for its tourism promotion efforts. The Medina tax would be another 2 percent on top of the county’s occupancy tax.