Contacting Your Elected Official

Transcription

1 Contacting Your Elected Official The time is now to begin contacting YOUR elected state official to voice your support for removal of the Lodgers Tax loophole through SB 254 and HB 266. Our best chance to success can only occur if we work together. View our action plan below for best practices for how to contact your elected official. 1 4 Know Your District Encourage Your Elected Official Know who in the House and the Chamber represent the district your business resides in. If you don t currently know who your representative in the House and the Senate is, the New Mexico Legislature website has a helpful tool that allows users to find their elected official by typing in an address. Simply visit find the Legislators tab in the main menu, and click on the Find My Legislator drop down option from the menu. There is an option to find your legislator in both the House and Senate, so be sure to use this function for each chamber. Feel free to use anything apart of the advocacy toolkit as a reference or baseline for constructing your or using as a script outline when you make your call. We want our members to use their own unique voice and perspectives when reaching out to elected officials. Also, be sure to be courteous and thoughtful. Ideally, we want our elected officials to bee ambassadors for tourism, and this is a great opportunity for you to encourage them to join our cause. 2 Document Their Contact Information 5 Don t Forget to Follow Up Each elected official has their contact information available on their online legislator profile. Keep it handy for contacting them by , phone, and perhaps personal visit to their capitol office. 3 Review Our Talking Points, Know the Bill If you are lucky, you might receive a quick response via . If you are even luckier, they might answer your phone call on the first try. If those things do not happen, schedule a time on your calendar a few days after your first outreach attempt for a follow up. A second phone call with a second voice mail will prompt a much higher likelihood of a response. If you decide to reach out via phone, try to make the call in the morning around 10 a.m. Review the Lodgers Tax talking points from our advocacy toolkit before you make contact with your elected official. Be rehearsed on our 3 key positions for eliminating Exemption G, as well as some of the questions you may be asked if you happen to engage with your elected official through or phone call. Also, be sure to view the language of the actual bill. Search for House Bill 266 and Senate Bill 254 on the New Mexico Legislature website to see how the bill is written. Good Luck!

2 Lodgers Tax Talking Points New Mexico Hospitality Association always encourages active participation from our members with our advocacy and outreach during the Legislative Session. Before you begin making phone calls or planning visits with your representative, review this page to better understand our talking points about our priority legislation. What does this bill do? New Mexico Hospitality Association has garnered strong support for two identical bills in the House and Senate (HB 266 and SB 254). The bill seeks to eliminate Exemption G from the current Lodgers Tax Statute ( NMSA 1978). With elimination of Exemption G, short-term rentals will be on equal footing with hotels, motels and B&B s when it es to contributing to Lodgers Tax that everyone benefits from. Who is sponsoring this bill? HB 266 is sponsored by Carl Trujillo (D) of House District 46, which represents Santa Fe County. SB 254 is sponsored by John M. Sapien (D) of Senate District 9, which represents Bernalillo and Sandoval County. What is the background of the Lodgers Tax? The Lodgers Tax (Laws 1969, Chapter 199, Section 4) dates back to 1969 when it was originally passed to give municipalities the option to impose a tax on hotels, motels and B&B s so those municipalities could use that revenue for destination marketing and promotion to boost the local tourism economy. The law includes a series of exemptions from Lodgers Tax. One of those exemptions, Exemption G, exempts rentals with less than 3 rooms from contributing to Lodgers Tax (and potentially GRT). Without a statewide solution, hotels, motels and B&B s still pay Lodgers Tax while short-term rentals booked through digital platforms do not, despite the lucrative short-term rental market and the boost these rentals receive from municipal marketing and promotion efforts. Are there any other problems? There are a couple of other issues. There are a few municipalities in New Mexico, such as Santa Fe and Taos, that have implemented local solutions to this problem, but the lack of a statewide solution makes enforcement rather difficult. Also, there are issues with enforcing codes and other munity regulations. Property managers are required to enforce particular standards for their rental properties while there isn t a process to hold short-term rentals that use digital booking platforms to the same standard. These are concerns our priority legislation hopes to address. So, is this a new tax? It is certainly NOT a new tax. What we are trying to do is eliminate a tax loophole. The law is already on the books and the tourism industry is in pliance, so we are working to ensure parity with the short-term rental market as well. Is this anti-innovation? It is too simplistic and grossly inaccurate to label this measure as anti-innovation. We are simply creating uniformity between the short-term rental market and the tourism industry, all of which benefit from municipal marketing and promotion efforts. In fact, we encourage the conversation to be as open and collaborative as possible. We wele digital platforms such as Airbnb to the conversation, and the pany has worked with New Mexico munities in the past (Santa Fe, Taos) to create a solution together.

3 What is the ultimate solution? This legislation will achieve 3 goals for New Mexico: Who currently supports this bill? Lodgers Tax Talking Points 1. Need for Parity: Some rental properties gain a 12-15% petitive advantage over traditional lodging establishments by not paying Lodgers Tax or GRT. 2. Need for Unified Enforcement Definition: Exemption G functions as a tax loophole for these short-term rentals. The way a room is defined inconsistently in counties and municipalities throughout the state. This bill should alleviate those problems with a universal definition. 3. Need for a Statewide Solution: Removing Exemption G will formalize all short-term rental properties, streamline local enforcement efforts and create a level playing field for the entire lodging munity. Our list of supporters for this legislation ranges from municipalities to associations and hospitality businesses. Our plete list includes: American Hotel and Lodging Association New Mexico Municipal League New Mexico Association of Counties Visit Albuquerque Tourism Santa Fe Greater Albuquerque Innkeepers Association (GAIA) Santa Fe Lodgers Association Asian-American Hotel Owners Association City of Santa Fe City of Las Cruces City of Truth or Consequences Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau Taos Ski Valley Angel Fire Resort Blackstone Hotsprings Premier Hospitality Las Cruces Hampton Inn & Suites (1641 Hickory Loop) Las Cruces Hampton Inn & Suites (I-25) Clovis Holiday Inn Express & Suites Clovis La Quinta Inn & Suites Hobbs Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hobbs Quality Inn & Suites

4 The New Mexico short-term rental market is no longer an afterthought The Findings How is this impacting tourism and your munity? With recent technology disruptions and online booking agents, the short-term rental market is now a major global tourism player. Airbnb, one of these online platforms, has surpassed Marriott International (the leading hotel chain in the world according to Smith Travel Research) in the number of rentable rooms across the globe. These properties largely operate in the dark without collecting tax (Gross Receipts Tax and Lodgers Tax) or plying with public safety regulations and licensing. Is this happening in New Mexico? YES! In Janurary 2017, New Mexico Hospitality Association missioned an independent census of the short-term rental market in New Mexico. This includes rental properties that are intended to be rented to consumers for less than 30 days. Statewide Initial Findings: 4,076 number of short term rental properties 9,296 number of short term rental rooms $2.6 million of potential revenue from Lodgers Tax* $4.3 million of potential revenue from Gross Receipts Tax* 76% of the properties were identified as multiple properties OWNED BY ONE OWNER *Revenue projections based on an Airbnb national average 40% occupancy rate and 50% pliance. National average occupancy rate estimate provided by Smith Travel Research (STR). What does this mean for NM? 1. Need for Parity Due to potentially avoiding Gross Receipts Tax and Lodgers Tax, some of these properties can have a 12% - 15% petitive advantage over traditional lodging establishments, depending on the GRT and Lodgers Tax rate of the munity. Even though many of these short-term rentals do not collect and contribute to Lodgers Tax, they are benefiting from contributions to Lodgers Tax from others that pays for marketing and promotion. 2. Need for Unified Enforcement Definition Exemption G of the Exemptions section of the Lodgers Tax Statute ( ) is a tax loophole for these short-term rental properties. Properties with less than three rooms are exempt from the Lodgers Tax Statute, but the definition of a room is applied differently across counties and municipalities around the state. 3. Need for a Statewide Solution Removing Exemption G from the Exemptions section of the Lodgers Tax Statute ( ) will formalize all short-term rental properties, streamline local enforcement efforts, and create a level playing field for the entire lodging munity.

5 Senate Contact List District Name City Zip Phone SD 1 Bill Sharer Farmington bill@williamsharer. SD 2 Steven Neville Aztec (505) steven.neville@ SD 3 John Pinto Gallup (720) SD 4 George Munoz Gallup (505) senatormunoz@ gmail. SD 5 Richard Martinez Espanola (505) richard.martinez@nmlegis. SD 6 Carlos Cisneros Questa (505) carlos.cisneros@ SD 7 Pat Woods Broadview (575) pat.woods@ SD 8 Pete Campos Las Vegas (505) pete.campos@ SD 9 John Sapien Corrales (505) john.sapien@ SD 10 Candace Gould Albuquerque (505) candaceinvu@ aol. SD 11 Linda Lopez Albuquerque (505) linda.lopez@ SD 12 Gerald Ortiz y Pino Albuquerque (505) jortizyp@msn. SD 13 Bill O Neill Albuquerque (505) oneillsd13@ billoneillfornm. SD 14 Michael Padilla Albuquerque (505) michael.padilla@ SD 15 Daniel Ivey-Soto Albuquerque (505) daniel.ivey-soto@ SD 16 Cisco McSorley Albuquerque (505) cisco.mcsorley@ SD 17 Mimi Stewart Albuquerque (505) mimi.stewart@

6 Senate Contact List SD 18 Bill Tallman Albuquerque (505) cast.net SD 19 James P. White Albuquerque (505) SD 20 Bill Payne Albuquerque (505) SD 21 Mark Moores Albuquerque (505) SD 22 Benny Shendo Jemez Pueblo (575) SD 23 Sander Rue Albuquerque (505) SD 24 Nancy Rodriguez Santa Fe (505) SD 25 Peter Wirth Santa Fe (505) SD 26 Jacob Candelaria Albuquerque (505) SD 27 Stuart Ingle Portales (575) SD 28 Howie Morales Silver City (575) SD 29 Greg Baca Belen (505) SD 30 Clemente Sanchez Grants (505) Las Cruces (575) SD 31 Joseph Cervantes SD 32 Cliff Pirtle Roswell (575) SD 33 William Burt Alamogordo (575) SD 34 Ron Griggs Alamogordo (575)

7 Senate Contact List SD 35 John Arthur Smith Deming (575) SD 36 Jeff Steinborn Las Cruces (575) SD 37 Bill Soules Las Cruces (575) SD 38 Mary Kay Papen Las Cruces (575) SD 39 Liz Stefanics Santa Fe (505) SD 40 Craig Brandt Rio Rancho (505) SD 41 Carroll Levell Jal (575) net SD 42 Gay Kernan Hobbs (505)

8 House Contact List District Name City Zip Phone HD 1 Rod Montoya Farmington (505) roddmontoya@gmail. HD 2 RJ Strickler Farmington (505) jamesstrickler@msn. HD 3 Paul Bandy Aztec (505) paul@paulbandy.org HD 4 Sharon Clahchischilliage Kirtland (505) sharon.clahchischill@ HD 5 D. Wonda Johnson Church Rock dwonda.johnson@ HD 6 Eliseo Alcon Milan (505) eliseo.alcon@ HD 7 Kelly Fajardo Belen (505) kelly.fajardo@ HD 8 Alonzo Baldonado Los Lunas (505) alonzo.baldonado@ HD 9 Patty Lundstrom Gallup (505) patricia.lundstrom@ HD 10 Andres Romero Albuquerque (505) andres.romero@nmlegis. HD 11 Javier Martinez Albuquerque (505) javier.martinez@nmlegis. HD 12 Patricio Ruiloba Albuquerque (505) patricio.ruiloba@nmlegis. HD 13 Patricia Roybal Caballero Albuquerque (505) pat.roybalcaballero@ HD 14 Miguel P. Garcia Albuquerque (505) miguel.garcia@nmlegis. HD 15 Sarah Maestas Barnes Albuquerque (505) sarah.maestasbarnes@ HD 16 Moe Maestas Albuquerque (505) antonio.maestas@ HD 17 Debbie Armstrong Albuquerque (505) deborah.armstrong@ HD 18 Gail Chasey Albuquerque (505) gail@gailchasey. HD 19 Sheryl Williams Stapleton Albuquerque (505) sheryl.stapleton@ HD 20 Jim Dines Albuquerque (505) jim.dines@

9 HD 21 Debbie Sarinana House Contact List Albuquerque (505) HD 22 Jim Smith Sandia Park (505) HD 23 Daymon Ely Corrales (505) HD 24 Liz Thomson Albuquerque (505) HD 25 Christine Trujillo Albuquerque (505) HD 26 Georgene Louis Albuquerque (505) HD 27 Larry Larranaga Albuquerque (505) HD 28 Jimmie Hall Albuquerque (505) HD 29 David Adkins Albuquerque (505) HD 30 Nate Gentry Albuquerque (505) HD 31 Bill Rehm Albuquerque (505) HD 32 Candie Sweetser Deming (575) HD 33 Bill McCamley Mesilla Park (575) HD 34 Bealquin Bill Gomez La Mesa (575) HD 35 Angelica Rubio Las Cruces (575) HD 36 Nathan Small Las Cruces (575) GMAIL.COM HD 37 Joanne Ferrary Las Cruces (575) HD 38 Rebecca Dow Truth or Consequences (575) HD 39 Rodolpho Martinez Silver City (575) HD 40 Nick Salazar Ohkay Owingeh (505)

10 House Contact List HD 41 Debbie Rodella Espanola (505) HD 42 Bobby Gonzales Ranchos de Taos (575) HD 43 Stephanie Garcia Richard Los Alamos (505) HD 44 Jane Powdrell-Culbert Corrales (505) HD 45 Jim Trujillo Santa Fe (505) HD 46 Carl Trujillo Santa Fe (505) HD 47 Brian Egolf Santa Fe HD 48 Linda Trujillo Santa Fe (505) HD 49 Don Tripp Socorro (575) HD 50 Matthew Mc- Queen Santa Fe HD 51 Yvette Herrell Alamogordo (575) HD 52 Doreen Gallegos Las Cruces (575) HD 53 Ricky Little Chaparral (575) HD 54 Jim Townsend Artesia (575) HD 55 Cathrynn Brown Carlsbad (575) HD 56 Zach Cook Ruidoso (575) HD 57 Jason Harper Rio Rancho (505) HD 58 Candy Spence Roswell (575) Ezzell HD 59 Greg Nibert Roswell (575) HD 60 Tim Lewis Rio Rancho HD 61 David Gallegos Eunice (575) HD 62 Larry Scott Hobbs (575)

11 House Contact List HD 63 George Dodge Santa Rosa (575) HD 64 Randy Crowder Clovis (575) HD 65 Derrick Lente Sandia Pueblo (505) HD 66 Bob Wooley Roswell (575) HD 67 Dennis Roch Logan (575) HD 68 Monica Youngblood Albuquerque (505) HD 69 Harry Garcia Grants (505) HD 70 Tomas Salazar Las Vegas (575)