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An Act To Reduce the Meals and Lodging Tax
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §13090-K, sub-§2,  as enacted by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. UUUU, §1, is amended to read:
 
2. Source of fund.   Beginning July 1, 2003 and every July 1st thereafter, the State Controller shall transfer to the Tourism Marketing Promotion Fund an amount, as certified by the State Tax Assessor, that is equivalent to 5% of the 7% tax imposed on tangible personal property and taxable services pursuant to Title 36, section 1811, for the first 6 months of the prior fiscal year after the reduction for the transfer to the Local Government Fund as described by Title 30-A, section 5681, subsection 5. Beginning on October 1, 2003 and every October 1st thereafter, the State Controller shall transfer to the Tourism Marketing Promotion Fund an amount, as certified by the State Tax Assessor, that is equivalent to 5% of the 7% tax imposed on tangible personal property and taxable services pursuant to Title 36, section 1811, for the last 6 months of the prior fiscal year after the reduction for the transfer to the Local Government Fund. Beginning October 1, 2007 and every October 1st thereafter, the State Controller shall transfer to the Tourism Marketing Promotion Fund an amount, as certified by the State Tax Assessor, that is equivalent to 5% of the tax imposed pursuant to Title 36, section 1811 on the value of rental of living quarters in any hotel, rooming house or tourist or trailer camp and on the value of prepared food for the first 6 months of the prior fiscal year after the reduction for the transfer to the Local Government Fund. Beginning July 1, 2008 and every July 1st thereafter, the State Controller shall transfer to the Tourism Marketing Promotion Fund an amount, as certified by the State Tax Assessor, that is equivalent to 5% of the tax imposed pursuant to Title 36, section 1811 on the value of rental of living quarters in any hotel, rooming house or tourist or trailer camp and on the value of prepared food for the last 6 months of the prior fiscal year after the reduction for the transfer to the Local Government Fund. The tax amount must be based on actual sales for that fiscal year and may not consider any accruals that may be required by law. The amount transferred from General Fund sales and use tax revenues does not affect the calculation for the transfer to the Local Government Fund.
Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §1811, first ¶,  as amended by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. TTTT, §2 and affected by §3, is further amended to read:
A tax is imposed on the value of all tangible personal property and taxable services sold at retail in this State. The rate of tax is 7% on the value of liquor sold in licensed establishments as defined in Title 28-A, section 2, subsection 15, in accordance with Title 28-A, chapter 43; 7%5% on the value of rental of living quarters in any hotel, rooming house or tourist or trailer camp; 10% on the value of rental for a period of less than one year of an automobile; 7%5% on the value of prepared food; and 5% on the value of all other tangible personal property and taxable services. Value is measured by the sale price, except as otherwise provided.
 
SUMMARY
This bill reduces the taxes imposed on lodging and prepared meals from 7% to 5%.
This bill also changes the allocation to the Tourism Marketing Promotion Fund, which currently receives 5% of the 7% tax imposed on lodging and prepared meals.