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Sep 13, 2022 · Context

Council adopts 2022/2023 legislative priorities asking for a 9% hotel tax cap for the Civic Center, 4-1

Four months after approving tax anticipation notes for the Civic Center, the council voted 4-1 (Councilmember Cole Stanley voting no) to adopt Resolution No. 09-13-22-1, the City's state and federal legislative priorities for 2022 and 2023. One position said the City would "actively support legislation to finance the renovation, revitalization and/or expansion" of the Civic Center Complex, including raising the municipal hotel occupancy tax cap in Tax Code Section 351.003 from seven to nine percent, either in general or with the added two percent set aside for convention center facilities. The resolution had been postponed for two weeks on August 16, 2022.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Ginger Nelson Freda Powell Eddy Sauer Howard Smith Cole Stanley Andrew Freeman

What the sources say

✓ Verified
On September 13, 2022 the council approved Resolution No. 09-13-22-1, "adopting state and federal legislative priorities for the 2022 and 2023 calendar years," on a motion by Mayor Pro Tem Freda Powell seconded by Councilmember Eddy Sauer. Mayor Ginger Nelson, Powell, Sauer and Councilmember Howard Smith voted yes; Councilmember Cole Stanley voted no. The vote was 4-1. ^[2]
✓ Verified
Under the heading "Amarillo Civic Center Complex," Exhibit A to the resolution states: "The City of Amarillo will actively support legislation to finance the renovation, revitalization and/or expansion of the Amarillo Civic Center Complex (ACCC). This would specifically include an expansion of Sec. 351.003 Tax Rates of the Tax Code related to Municipal Hotel Occupancy Taxes. The City of Amarillo would like to see the tax rate raised from seven to nine percent either in general or for the additional two percent to be specifically allocated for construction, expansion, maintenance, or operation of convention center facilities." ^[1]
Current cap
7%
Requested cap
9%
✓ Verified
The nine-page list also said the City would oppose legislation that "would unnecessarily restrict the City's ability to issue debt or impose undue burdens on debt issuance referendums" or would impose revenue caps such as a lower voter-approval tax rate, and would support funding to complete Loop 335 and to build a state mental health hospital in Amarillo. Section 2 of the resolution directs that the City "shall proactively seek the filing and passage of any legislation identified as being sought in Exhibit A." The agenda memo, from Assistant City Manager Andrew Freeman, listed no funding impact. ^[1]
✓ Verified
The resolution first came to the council on August 16, 2022, when Andrew Freeman presented it and the council voted 5-0, on Councilmember Cole Stanley's motion, to postpone it for two weeks. It was adopted at the September 13 meeting. ^[3]^[2]
✓ Verified
The minutes do not record a reason for Councilmember Stanley's no vote or for the August postponement, and do not say which of the listed positions, if any, prompted either. ^[3]^[2]

Sources

1.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Agenda (with backup), 2022-09-13 — City of Amarillo, Sep 13, 2022 · retrieved Oct 14, 2026primarySubject-authoredItem 2D (PDF pp. 22-33): Resolution No. 09-13-22-1 and Exhibit A, the nine-page 2022/2023 legislative priorities. Date is the meeting date. The PDF has no usable text layer; read with OCR. Item No. 3O transmittal memo (PDF p. 263): "Council Priority Economic Development/ Redevelopment" ... "CONSIDER PURCHASE: REAL ESTATE LOCATED AT 501 S. GRANT STREET, 509 S. GRANT STREET, AND 517 S. GRANT STREET" ... "Funding will come from excess Hotel Occupancy Tax Collections and Excess General Fund Cash". Attached Sale and Purchase Agreement dated September 6, 2022 (PDF pp. 265-270): purchase price "$1,300,000.00"; "No earnest money shall be required"; closing "on or before September 30, 2022".
2.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2022-09-13 — City of Amarillo, Sep 13, 2022 · retrieved Oct 14, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes (OCR). Item 2EE: "demolition of railroad tracks, ties, and paving ... to allow for utility updates for the remodel of the new City Hall. A motion was made to award the contract to Howell Sand in the amount of $116,003.00" ... "the motion passed by a 4-1 vote."
3.Amarillo City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, 2022-08-16 — City of Amarillo, Aug 16, 2022 · retrieved Oct 14, 2026primarySubject-authoredScanned minutes (OCR). Item 3E: "ORDINANCE NO. 8003 AN ORDINANCE authorizing the issuance of “CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, TAX NOTES, SERIES 2022B”" ... "voting NO was Councilmember Stanley; absent were none; the motion passed by a 4-1 vote."