SC Commission Approves New Timeshare Tax Proposal....

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

State commission approves proposal to tax time shares, accommodation tax spending untouched - Breaking News - TheSunNews.com

Just like I feared, they shelved the redistribution part of the proposal which was being opposed by local governments, and simply stuck it to timeshare owners..

Kudos to Mr. Weaver for trying..

Now the recommendation goes off to state legislators to begin the process to make it a law.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Wow.

Jya-Ning

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

The HOA's need to get word to all of their members who live in South Carolina to start calling their legislators offices. This is what really gets politicians attention. Sending lobbyists around just doesn't have the same impact. If they can't call, sending a letter or email also has impact. But it needs to be from South Carolinians to their own legislator.

Even a South Carolinian who owns timeshare somewhere else should do that. Just call yourself a ''concerned timeshare owner'' and neglect to mention where you own.

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

ARDA seems to have gotten the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce to announce their opposition to the tax.. Sounds like there is much more work to be done however..

[Ryne08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryne08]

Will this new tax means that are exchangers into South Carolina timeshare resorts will pay an occupant tax for the week?

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Nothing has actually become law yet, so there is no real answer.. However, my understanding from reading comments is that it looks like they are hoping to simply require associations in the state to automatically collect and pay an occupancy tax with the maintenance fees. Would it surprise me if they tried to collect again by continuing to charge renters the tax as well?

No! After all they would already be double dipping so to speak by collecting both property taxes (like a resident) and transient taxes (like a tourist) from the interval owner. Why not go for a triple scoop? Even if the tourists realize what is happening and complain- they can't vote to change anything.. Most of the locals won't complain unless the higher costs impact the tourism levels.

On the flip side, the proposed increased levels of spending for state tourism promotion could very possibly counter any reduction of traffic- so it could possibly be a win for everyone BUT the guy who actually owns a SC timeshare! Looking at it from a local perspective it seems like a simple solution to increase tax revenue without losing votes.

However, my fears at this point are that every cost increase to individual timeshare owners is adding another bundle of sticks to an already heavy burden. Higher abandonment and default rates, higher property taxes overall, aging properties, higher management and service fees, plus higher insurance premiums across he country- all these issues are combining to make survival for some HOA's and independent developers a very big concern.

It's already whispered in industry meetings that the smaller developers and management companies are on their way to extinction- basically just becoming wounded prey to the big money brands and mega corps.. In my opinion, it would be a real shame if those whispered predictions actually become reality.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Are there any penalties for piling on in the timeshare game?

[longtimer Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close longtimer]

Sorry to hear this went through. Hopefully lawmakers in other states won't jump on this as a way to make "easy" money.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Sorry to hear this went through. Hopefully lawmakers in other states won't jump on this as a way to make "easy" money.

Why not?

Timeshare developers/marketers use owners as their personal cash cow, so, why not?

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

The hotel industry is pushing this because they are scared of timeshares!

I just say an article today describing the impact on revpar for hotels in the Williamsburg area, and it brought home the likely reason this new timeshare tax proposal has been authored and promoted by Frans Mustert in South Carolina..

You can read the full article HERE.

............Timeshares may have played a big part in the decline in occupancy in hotels over the past decade or more. A recent report commissioned by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance found that since 1987, occupied rooms in timeshares (including purchased rooms and those rented nightly like a hotel) have increased over 372 percent, while occupied hotel rooms have decreased 9.6 percent (with the largest drop in the years between 2007 and the present).

Almost one out of every two rooms currently occupied in the area is in a timeshare, according to the report...............

Timeshare villas are simply much better lodging than the average hotel room- and consumers are choosing timeshares more often than ever before as rentals become more readily available. If you wonder why this trend might be seen as a threat to Mr. Mustert- google him..

Frans Mustert
Title and Company:
American Hotel & Lodging Association Director at Hospitality Association of South Carolina

[Ryne08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryne08]

That is a very strange newspaper article because the author did not address the total number of new hotels that have been built in Williamsburg,VA area in the past ten years.