Resort Tax Increase On May 5th Ballot

Island voters in both the Village and the Township will weigh in on the proposed 0.5% increase to the islands’ resort tax during the May 5th election. If approved, the tax would rise from 1.5% to 2%.

One key benefit of the Resort Tax, also known as the Gross Receipts Tax, is that it is not borne solely by island residents—it is also paid by the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to the islands each year. Rather than placing the burden of the additional infrastructure (water and sewer) and safety (police, fire, and EMS) costs on islanders and summer homeowners through property taxes, special levies, and/or an income tax, visitors contribute the majority of those expenses.

Your approval is one of several steps needed to help retain young families, workers, and seniors on the island who are facing rising home and real estate taxes. An extra ten cents on a $20 purchase of goods and services is far more manageable than hundreds of dollars in increased real estate taxes.

Based on last year’s figures, the 0.5% increase is expected to generate approximately $286,000 for the Village and between $120,000 and $150,000 for the Township. Spread across hundreds of thousands of visitors, the cost is minimal, but if divided among roughly 500 island residents, the impact would be significant for those who live, work, and enjoy the island year-round.

For more information about the importance of this vote, an informational meeting will be held on Saturday, May 2nd, at 10 a.m. at Town Hall. A group presenting the proposal—including Township Trustee Chris Cooper, former Township Trustee Matt Miller, former Village Council member Jake Market, and Peter Huston—will explain how the increase works, why it is being considered, and why it is viewed as necessary, while also answering any questions.

Please vote YES to help keep our island community strong and sustainable.