MNTA – Your Legislative Advocacy

Facts:

• The leisure and hospitality sector contributes $16 billion in annual gross sales. That’s almost $44 million per day.
• Tourism advertising returns $180 of traveler spending for every $1 invested in advertising.
• The industry supports 273,000 full- and part-time jobs, $6.1 billion in payroll and represents 11% of all private sector employment in Minnesota.
• Tourism generates state and local sales tax revenue of $1.04 billion – approximately 18% of all state sales tax revenue.
• In the absence of the state and local taxes generated by travelers, each Minnesota household would need to pay an additional $625 in taxes to fill the gap.
• Tourism supports economic growth and vitality in virtually every county of Minnesota!

Our Approach

MNTA contracts with Hill Capitol Strategies as its lobbyist at the Minnesota State Legislature. Represented by Todd Hill and Tony Kwilas, well-known and respected lobbyists, our focus is on these key issues:

1. Support Minnesota Statute 469.190 limiting the use of local lodging taxes to tourism marketing efforts. Oppose any changes to current law or the diversion of lodging taxes for any purpose beyond tourism marketing.
2. Close the loophole on lodging tax collection, ensuring the lodging tax is collected on the full sale price of the room, regardless of whether the tax is collected locally or by the state.
3. Support language allowing cities statewide to create social districts if they choose.
4. Support language in statute that dedicates and directs a percentage of Explore Minnesota’s budget totaling no less than $1.5 million/biennium to be used for local grants and cooperative advertising. These resources support tourism efforts across the state of Minnesota.
5. Engage in legislation that supports a percentage of or definitive dollar designation of any allocation of dollars for the attraction of sports and events to Minnesota to be allocated outside of the MSP metro area.
6. Support maintaining Minnesota’s prohibition of school districts starting classes prior to Labor Day.
7. Support legislation that allows public land, especially that designated as park land and used for tourism purposes, to remain under state control.

Ask MNTA:

One of the best reasons to be a member of MNTA is simply having a resource to go to when you have a question…whether it be about the appropriate use of lodging taxes, city ordinances, creating a CVB, or any other topic. Members are welcome to direct questions to Executive Director, Deb McMillan by phone 651-292-3923 or email deb@minnesotacvbs.com. If Deb can’t provide an answer right away, we’ll do some research or put you in touch with the right expert.

When you “Ask MNTA,” you save time and money getting the answers you need. It’s easy, it’s quick and it’s confidential!