HB 4683 – HOT tax subsidy

HB 4683 allows the City of Anna to claim state hotel and sales tax revenue to fund a new hotel and convention center project. The city would collect these state funds for ten years, diverting them from the state’s general revenue. Although pitched as an economic development tool, this is another example of selective government subsidy—picking winners by allowing one city to redirect state tax dollars for a local development project. It expands a growing list of carve-outs in state law that funnel taxpayer funds into hotel developments rather than statewide priorities like tax relief or infrastructure. Projects like this should stand on their own financial merit, not at the expense of taxpayers. The state is projected to lose over $1 million in just the first two years of implementation.