By Joseph M. Morgan

joseph@southerntorch.com

Fort Payne City Council proposes lodging tax increase, amendments to alcohol ordinance

The Fort Payne City Council met Tuesday night to discuss a number of issues including amendments to the city’s alcohol ordinance and a potential increase in the lodging tax from 5 percent to 7 percent.

In a work session prior to the council meeting, general consensus between the mayor and council was that the additional tax dollars—an estimated $90,000 to $100,000 per year in new revenues—would be used to help fund the city’s Main Street Alabama program, provide funding that would allow the DeKalb County Tourist Association to increase marketing and advertising efforts, and help fund industrial development projects.

The proposed amendments to the alcohol ordinance would give the city’s Alcohol License Review Committee authority to impose sanctions, including the suspension of alcohol licenses for a period of up to 60 days and impose fines of up to $1,000. Currently the committee can only make recommendations.

The matter will be brought before the council for a vote at the next meeting.