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BESSEMER, Alabama — A proposed 3 cent in­crease in Bessemer’s lodg­ing tax will keep customers away in an already sluggish economy, Bessemer hotel owners told city leaders in a recent meeting.

But city leaders say Besse­mer needs the additional revenue.

Currently, the city’s total lodging tax is 14 percent, with 3 percent going to the city. The proposed increase would raise the lodging tax to 17 percent, which would bring it almost in line with Birmingham’s 17.5 percent.

But Neal Soni, owner of the Holiday Inn Express in Bessemer, told the council that he worries the increase would force potential cus­tomers to bypass Bessemer hotels in favor of those in neighboring Hoover. Hoo­ver collects a 14 percent lodging tax.

Rupesh Patel, owner of the Hampton Inn, said oc­cupancy rates are already down and rates have already been reduced. He urged of­ficials to wait until the econ­omy rebounds before mov­ing to increase the lodging tax.

City Council President Jesse Matthews said officials would continue to discuss the issue, but that it may be necessary at some point to raise the tax for additional revenue.

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