Buffalo, New York's New Tax Will Be 3rd Highest in America

This would be the 3rd highest tax in the country.

The City of Buffalo is going to start taxing people who book a hotel stay in Buffalo. It will be a 5% tax per room. For example, if book a $300 hotel room, you will pay an extra 15 bucks tacked on. That is not included in the sales tax. That is a complete other line item on your receipt.

This is not a new concept in major cities across the country. If you go to Nashville, you will pay now 7% on top of their local sales tax. They were one of the first cities that implemented the tax. At the time, Nashville was trying to supplement the cost of the new convention center by charging people who were staying and/or visiting Music City.

The 5% tax in the City of Buffalo, though, will not be happening in 2024.
Somehow, they screwed up and will not be approved in time when the budget is due.
The gap is said to leave over a 4 million dollar hole because the bed tax will no be implemented in time.

According to Councilmember Halton-Pope, a 5% occupancy tax would make Buffalo the third highest bed tax of any city in the country.

[They] urged council members to collaborate with the Mayor's office and help find new ways to raise revenue or cut expenses in the city rather than only take issue when the administration proposes something", according to WGRZ.

READ MORE: Niagara County has already implemented a 5% 'bed tax' for anyone who stays at the hotels in Niagara County. The decision was at first met with much opposition, but now are almost on year 2.