(a) For the purpose of providing revenue with which to meet the needs of the City for the use of the General Fund of the City and for the purpose of providing funds to convention and visitors bureaus operating in the county in which the City of Grove City is located for the promotion and publicizing of the City of Grove City as a desirable location for conventions, trade shows and similar events to encourage the patronage and business of cultural, educational, religious, professional, sports and other activities to utilize the City of Grove City, an excise tax is hereby levied on transactions by which lodging by a hotel, motel or transient accommodations is or is to be furnished to transient guests. The excise tax levied under this section is in addition to any tax imposed by the City of Grove City on the same transaction as enacted pursuant to Ordinance C41-76 (Passed 5-17-76.) and codified under this chapter at Section 192.02. The tax levied under this section is three percent (3%) of the amount paid or to be paid by the transient guests for the lodging. The tax applies and is collectible at the time the lodging is furnished regardless of the time when the price is paid. The tax does not apply to lodging furnished to the State or any of its political subdivisions, or any charitable organization for the lodging of transient indigent individuals, when such charitable organization pays the hotel or transient accommodation for such lodging.
(b) Fifty percent (50%) of the revenue from the tax levied pursuant to this section, shall be deposited into a separate fund, to be appropriated annually by Council through the annual appropriation ordinance as defined in Section 5.05 of the City Charter. Each convention and visitors bureau will be identified by name and distribution amount. Each of the convention and visitors bureaus shall receive funds for the purposes of promoting tourism, convention, economic development and other projects or expenditures which would enhance the City's appeal to visitors and tourists, and the balance of such revenue shall be deposited into the Community Development Fund of the City of Grove City.
(c) Convention and visitors’ bureaus which receives funds pursuant to this section shall, within one hundred and twenty (120) days after the end of their fiscal year, provide to the Finance Director of the City financial statements of the organization for such fiscal year, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, with a compilation report prepared by a certified public accountant.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Chapter 192 shall apply to the tax imposed under this section.
(Ord. C123-88. Passed 1-16-89; Ord. C65-21. Passed 11-15-21.)