What Do You Think About The New Wisconsin Timeshare Tax Bill?

[Dave M]

As indicated in the other thread on this topic (see post #2 in this thread), ARDA was the first organizaton to lobby against this proposed law - starting back in February, before the bill was placed on the legislative calendar.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Well, at least my $5.00 donation helped that lobby.

I cannot believe that we may pay sales taxes on our exchanges in the near future. I wonder if that will extend over to all of our timeshare stays, especially when a guest uses our owned weeks?

We will see if this issue is really dead or is just in a coma for now. I see Hawai doing this very soon. I think they will be the first to require us all to pay taxes, even to use our own weeks. They seem to want to suck the timeshare industry dry.

 

[Walt]

But Wisconsin Timeshare Owners knew nothing until the email from RCI

As indicated in the other thread on this topic (see post #2 in this thread), ARDA was the first organizaton to lobby against this proposed law - starting back in February, before the bill was placed on the legislative calendar.

But Wisconsin Timeshare Owners knew nothing about this Bill until the email from RCI. My Home Resort, Fox Hills, knew nothing about this Bill. In fact, Fox Hills had a newsletter go out at least a week before the email from RCI. There would not have been any addition cost to get the message out to Fox Hills Owners. I would like to know why ARDA did not get the word out to the Wisconsin Timeshare Owners and Wisconsin Timeshare Resorts. There also was nothing on ARDA's web site about this Bill. Does anyone know why they didn't?

As far as I can tell the only Wisconsin Newspaper that had any information about this Bill was the Wisconsin Dells Events.

Walt

 

[Dave M]

Yes, there is significant info on ARDA's website on this. However, you have to be a member to see it.

Also, their focus is on lobbying to protexct the industry, which they did, not on telling everybody that might want to know about it. They did what they usually do - they fought unfavorable legislation and they were there first.

Whether you and I believe that they could have done things differently doesn't lessen their effort.

 

[Walt]

So what was the significant Infomation on ARDA website?

Yes, there is significant info on ARDA's website on this. However, you have to be a member to see it.

Also, their focus is on lobbying to protexct the industry, which they did, not on telling everybody that might want to know about it. They did what they usually do - they fought unfavorable legislation and they were there first.

Whether you and I believe that they could have done things differently doesn't lessen their effort.

So what was the significant Infomation on ARDA website?

I would think that the additional input of Voters being against this Bill to their State Senators would have been a better way to protect the Timeshare Industry.

It is one thing to pass a State Tax Law to raise money to pay for the local government's expenses associated with the building and maintaining a Timeshare Resort. However, it appears that this State Tax Bill was written to increase the Advertising Budget of a few Local Resort Areas such as Wisconsin Dells.

In Southeast Wisconsin we have a .01% State Sales Tax that goes to pay for Miller Park (Home of the Brewers). This Sales Tax almost did not become a Tax Law because many voteres thought a one penny Tax was too much to keep the Brewers in Milwaukee.

Voters input Does matter. And if and when this Bill comes up again the Timeshare Owners better give their input to their State Senators.

Walt