The residents of the city of Fayette will have three proposals on the election ballot for the November 2, 2021 election.

Hotel/Motel Tax - The Fayette City Council has placed a 7% Hotel/Motel Tax question on the upcoming election ballot that will be decided on November 2, 2021. The proposed 7% Hotel/Motel Tax is a transient tax that would be paid only by visitors and patrons staying at a hotel/motel located within the city limits of Fayette. In 2021, 168 cities and 20 counties in the state of Iowa have such a tax. The city must use at least fifty percent (50%) of the revenues from the Hotel/Motel Tax for recreation, convention, cultural and entertainment facilities or for the promotion and encouragement of tourist and convention business in the city and surrounding areas. The remaining revenues from the Hotel/Motel Tax may be used for all other purposes permitted by Chapter 423A of the Code of Iowa.

Here is a variety of programming and service examples that other cities in Iowa have been able to fund using their Hotel/Motel Tax proceeds (courtesy of the City of Adel).

- Community Events: Autumnfest (City of DeWitt), Heritage Days (City of Mount Vernon), Lincoln Highway Arts Festival (City of Mount Vernon), Midwest Old Threshers (City of Mount Pleasant), Various events (City of Clarion and West Des Moines)

- Culture/Recreation: Parks & Recreation (Cities of Anamosa, Clive, DeWitt, Humboldt, Mount Pleasant & Osceola), Cultural programming (City of Osceola), Southeast Iowa Symphony (City of Mount Pleasant), Museum displays for non-profit organizations (City of Clarion), Bravo Greater Des Moines (16 cities in the Des Moines metro-area), Christmas lights (City of Mount Pleasant), Banners & flowers for downtown (City of Clarion)

- Tourism/Chamber: Greater Des Moines Convention & Visitors Bureau (14 cities in the Des Moines metro-area), Mount Vernon Community Development Group (City of Mount Vernon), Main Street group (City of Mount Pleasant), Chamber marketing and/or membership (Cities of Anamosa, DeWitt, Humboldt & Marion), General tourism and marketing (Cities of Anamosa, Clarion, Elkader, Humboldt, Mount Vernon & Oelwein)

- General Fund/Use: Library Programs (City of Clive), Street maintenance (City of Osceola), Facade improvement grants (City of Clarion), Economic Development programs (City of Clive)

City Council Term Changes - The Fayette City Council has placed a City Council Term Change question on the upcoming election ballot. Currently, the Mayor and all 5 City Council members serve a 2 year term. The question asks the residents if they want to change the City Council members terms from 2 years to 4 years and stagger the terms so not all members are up for re-election every 2 years. If this is passed, it would not start until 1/1/2024 (that means the Mayor and City Council members on the 11/2/2021 ballot will only serve a 2 year term and the next election in November of 2023 will be the first election to start the 4 year staggered terms).

Local Option Sales Tax - The Fayette City Council has placed an extension of the local sales and services tax, at the rate of 1%, to be effective 1/1/2025 until 12/31/2034 on the upcoming election ballot. The city of Fayette currently has a local option sales tax. If this passes, 100% of the revenues will be used for community betterment for the city of Fayette. Currently, these cities/places in Fayette County participate and have a 1% local options sales tax: Alpha, Arlington, Clermont, Donnan, Eldorado, Elgin, Fairbank, Fayette, Hawkeye, Maynard, Oelwein, Oran, Randalia, Saint Lucas, Wadena, Waucoma, West Union and Westgate. Many cities and counties throughout Iowa also participate and have a 1% local options sales tax. Below is the revenue the city of Fayette has brought in the last few years from the local option sales tax. The local option sales tax revenue is currently used to help fund recreation within the city as well as to help fund the streets and police departments.

Fiscal Year 2021 (July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021) the city of Fayette received $121,939.34

Fiscal Year 2020 (July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020) the city of Fayette received $101,209.04

Fiscal Year 2019 (July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019) the city of Fayette received $106,909.34

Fiscal Year 2018 (July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018) the city of Fayette received $101,821.83

Fiscal Year 2017 (July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017) the city of Fayette received $102,674.98

Fiscal Year 2016 (July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016) the city of Fayette received $95,424.86

Fiscal Year 2015 (July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015) the city of Fayette received $103,807.31

Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014) the city of Fayette received $93,882.01

Please contact Fayette City Hall, 563-425-4316, with further questions about any of the proposals on the ballot.