S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
9175
I N S E N A T E
May 2, 2024
___________
Introduced by Sen. WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
ment Operations
AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to authorizing the city of
Cortland to establish hotel and motel taxes
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 1202-jj to
read as follows:
§ 1202-JJ. HOTEL OR MOTEL TAXES IN THE CITY OF CORTLAND. (1) NOTWITH-
STANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE CITY OF CORT-
LAND, CORTLAND COUNTY, IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND EMPOWERED TO ADOPT AND
AMEND LOCAL LAWS IMPOSING IN SUCH CITY A TAX, IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER
TAX AUTHORIZED AND IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE, SUCH AS THE LEGIS-
LATURE HAS OR WOULD HAVE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE UPON PERSONS
OCCUPYING HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOMS IN SUCH CITY. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
SECTION, THE TERM "HOTEL" OR "MOTEL" SHALL MEAN AND INCLUDE ANY FACILITY
PROVIDING LODGING ON AN OVERNIGHT BASIS AND SHALL INCLUDE THOSE FACILI-
TIES DESIGNATED AND COMMONLY KNOWN AS "BED AND BREAKFAST" AND "TOURIST"
FACILITIES. THE RATES OF SUCH TAX SHALL NOT EXCEED THREE PERCENT OF THE
PER DIEM RENTAL RATE FOR EACH ROOM, PROVIDED HOWEVER, THAT SUCH TAX
SHALL NOT BE APPLICABLE TO A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF A HOTEL OR MOTEL. FOR
THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "PERMANENT RESIDENT" SHALL MEAN A
PERSON OCCUPYING ANY ROOM OR ROOMS IN A HOTEL OR MOTEL FOR AT LEAST
THIRTY CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
(2) SUCH TAX MAY BE COLLECTED AND ADMINISTERED BY THE CHIEF FISCAL
OFFICER OF THE CITY OF CORTLAND BY SUCH MEANS AND IN SUCH MANNER AS
OTHER TAXES, WHICH ARE NOW COLLECTED AND ADMINISTERED BY SUCH OFFICER,
OR AS OTHERWISE MAY BE PROVIDED BY SUCH LOCAL LAW.
(3) SUCH LOCAL LAWS MAY PROVIDE THAT ANY TAX IMPOSED SHALL BE PAID BY
THE PERSON LIABLE THEREFOR TO THE OWNER OF THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM OCCU-
PIED OR TO THE PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE RENT OR CHARGE FOR THE
HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM OCCUPIED FOR AND ON ACCOUNT OF THE CITY OF CORTLAND
IMPOSING THE TAX AND THAT SUCH OWNER OR PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14998-01-4
S. 9175 2
RENT OR CHARGE SHALL BE LIABLE FOR THE COLLECTION AND PAYMENT OF THE
TAX; AND THAT SUCH OWNER OR PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE RENT OR
CHARGE SHALL HAVE THE SAME RIGHT IN RESPECT TO COLLECTING THE TAX FROM
THE PERSON OCCUPYING THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM, OR IN RESPECT TO NONPAY-
MENT OF THE TAX BY THE PERSON OCCUPYING THE HOTEL OR MOTEL ROOM, AS IF
THE TAX WERE A PART OF THE RENT OR CHARGE AND PAYABLE AT THE SAME TIME
AS THE RENT OR CHARGE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE CHIEF FISCAL OFFICER
OF THE CITY, SPECIFIED IN SUCH LOCAL LAW, SHALL BE JOINED AS A PARTY IN
ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT TO COLLECT THE TAX BY THE OWNER OR BY
THE PERSON ENTITLED TO BE PAID THE RENT OR CHARGE.
(4) SUCH LOCAL LAWS MAY PROVIDE FOR THE FILING OF RETURNS AND THE
PAYMENT OF THE TAX ON A MONTHLY BASIS OR ON THE BASIS OF ANY LONGER OR
SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME.
(5) THIS SECTION SHALL NOT AUTHORIZE THE IMPOSITION OF SUCH TAX UPON
ANY TRANSACTION, BY OR WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED THIRTY OF THIS ARTICLE:
A. THE STATE OF NEW YORK, OR ANY PUBLIC CORPORATION (INCLUDING A
PUBLIC CORPORATION CREATED PURSUANT TO AGREEMENT OR COMPACT WITH ANOTHER
STATE OR THE DOMINION OF CANADA), IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OR OTHER POLI-
TICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE;
B. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INSOFAR AS IT IS IMMUNE FROM TAXA-
TION;
C. ANY CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION, OR TRUST, OR COMMUNITY CHEST, FUND
OR FOUNDATION ORGANIZED AND OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR RELIGIOUS, CHARITA-
BLE, OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, OR FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHIL-
DREN OR ANIMALS, AND NO PART OF THE NET EARNINGS OF WHICH INURES TO THE
BENEFIT OF ANY PRIVATE SHAREHOLDERS OR INDIVIDUAL AND NO SUBSTANTIAL
PART OF THE ACTIVITIES OF WHICH IS CARRYING ON PROPAGANDA, OR OTHERWISE
ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE THE LEGISLATION; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NOTHING
IN THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL INCLUDE AN ORGANIZATION OPERATED FOR THE PRIMARY
PURPOSE OF CARRYING ON A TRADE OR BUSINESS FOR PROFIT, WHETHER OR NOT
ALL OF ITS PROFITS ARE PAYABLE TO ONE OR MORE ORGANIZATIONS DESCRIBED IN
THIS PARAGRAPH.
(6) ANY FINAL DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF ANY TAX PAYABLE PURSUANT
TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE REVIEWABLE FOR ERROR, ILLEGALITY OR UNCONSTITU-
TIONALITY OR ANY OTHER REASON WHATSOEVER BY A PROCEEDING UNDER ARTICLE
SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES IF APPLICATION THERE-
FOR IS MADE TO THE SUPREME COURT WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE GIVING OF
THE NOTICE OF SUCH FINAL DETERMINATION, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ANY SUCH
PROCEEDING UNDER ARTICLE SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND
RULES SHALL NOT BE INSTITUTED UNLESS:
A. THE AMOUNT OF ANY TAX SOUGHT TO BE REVIEWED, WITH SUCH INTEREST AND
PENALTIES THEREON AS MAY BE PROVIDED FOR BY LOCAL LAW OR REGULATION
SHALL BE FIRST DEPOSITED AND THERE IS FILED AN UNDERTAKING, ISSUED BY A
SURETY COMPANY AUTHORIZED TO TRANSACT BUSINESS IN THIS STATE AND
APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES OF THIS STATE AS TO
SOLVENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY, IN SUCH AMOUNT AS A JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME
COURT SHALL APPROVE TO THE EFFECT THAT IF SUCH PROCEEDING BE DISMISSED
OR THE TAX CONFIRMED THE PETITIONER WILL PAY ALL COSTS AND CHARGES WHICH
MAY ACCRUE IN THE PROSECUTION OF SUCH PROCEEDING; OR
B. AT THE OPTION OF THE PETITIONER SUCH UNDERTAKING MAY BE IN A SUM
SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE TAXES, INTERESTS AND PENALTIES STATED IN SUCH
DETERMINATION PLUS THE COSTS AND CHARGES WHICH MAY ACCRUE AGAINST IT IN
THE PROSECUTION OF THE PROCEEDING, IN WHICH EVENT THE PETITIONER SHALL
NOT BE REQUIRED TO PAY SUCH TAXES, INTEREST OR PENALTIES AS A CONDITION
PRECEDENT TO THE APPLICATION.
S. 9175 3
(7) WHERE ANY TAX IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL HAVE BEEN
ERRONEOUSLY, ILLEGALLY OR UNCONSTITUTIONALLY COLLECTED AND APPLICATION
FOR THE REFUND THEREOF DULY MADE TO THE PROPER FISCAL OFFICER OR OFFI-
CERS, AND SUCH OFFICER OR OFFICERS SHALL HAVE MADE A DETERMINATION DENY-
ING SUCH REFUND, SUCH DETERMINATION SHALL BE REVIEWABLE BY A PROCEEDING
UNDER ARTICLE SEVENTY-EIGHT OF THE CIVIL PRACTICE LAW AND RULES,
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH PROCEEDING IS INSTITUTED WITHIN THIRTY DAYS
AFTER THE GIVING OF THE NOTICE OF SUCH DENIAL, THAT A FINAL DETERMI-
NATION OF TAX DUE WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY MADE, AND THAT AN UNDERTAKING IS
FILED WITH THE PROPER FISCAL OFFICER OR OFFICERS IN SUCH AMOUNT AND WITH
SUCH SURETIES AS A JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT SHALL APPROVE TO THE
EFFECT THAT IF SUCH PROCEEDING BE DISMISSED OR THE TAX CONFIRMED, THE
PETITIONER WILL PAY ALL COSTS AND CHARGES WHICH MAY ACCRUE IN THE PROSE-
CUTION OF SUCH PROCEEDING.
(8) EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A WILLFULLY FALSE OR FRAUDULENT RETURN WITH
INTENT TO EVADE THE TAX, NO ASSESSMENT OF ADDITIONAL TAX SHALL BE MADE
AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF MORE THAN THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE
FILING OF A RETURN, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT WHERE NO RETURN HAS BEEN
FILED AS PROVIDED BY LAW THE TAX MAY BE ASSESSED AT ANY TIME.
(9) ALL REVENUES RESULTING FROM THE IMPOSITION OF THE TAX UNDER THE
LOCAL LAWS SHALL BE PAID INTO THE TREASURY OF THE CITY OF CORTLAND AND
SHALL BE CREDITED TO AND DEPOSITED IN THE GENERAL FUND OF THE CITY. THE
CITY SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO RETAIN THE NECESSARY REVENUE, IN AN AMOUNT
NOT TO EXCEED FOUR PERCENT OF THE TOTAL REVENUE, TO DEFER THE EXPENSE OF
THE CITY IN ADMINISTERING SUCH TAX AND THE BALANCE OF SUCH REVENUES
SHALL BE ALLOCATED TO THE PROMOTION OF TOURISM, CULTURAL PROGRAMS, PARKS
AND RECREATION, AND THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THOSE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING ALL FINANCIAL COSTS AND
OBLIGATIONS INCURRED BY THE CITY RELATED TO THE CREATION OF SUCH EVENTS
AND ACTIVITIES AS SO DETERMINED BY THE CITY OF CORTLAND COMMON COUNCIL.
(10) IF ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION OR THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO
ANY PERSON OR CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL BE HELD INVALID, THE REMAINDER OF THIS
SECTION AND THE APPLICATION OF SUCH PROVISION TO OTHER PERSONS OR
CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL NOT BE AFFECTED THEREBY.
(11) EACH ENACTMENT OF SUCH LOCAL LAW MAY PROVIDE FOR THE IMPOSITION
OF A HOTEL OR MOTEL TAX FOR A PERIOD OF TIME NO LONGER THAN THREE YEARS
FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF ITS ENACTMENT. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL
PROHIBIT THE ADOPTION AND ENACTMENT OF LOCAL LAWS, PURSUANT TO THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, UPON THE EXPIRATION OF ANY OTHER LOCAL LAW
ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.