PR Opportunism (re: Katrina)

In a former life I worked in hotel sales and catering.

Today's Austin Business Journal online had an article about the State Comptroller announcing that "Hurricane victims exempt from state hotel/motel tax", meaning that a state hotel/motel sales tax exemption would apply for all refugees from Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. They just have to provide proof of residence in one of the above states and indicate they will be staying more than 30 days.

Isn't great that our state is stepping up to the plate to eat a little tax money to help people in need?

Except that we're not. These exemptions have ALWAYS applied, and you don't have to be from a disaster state, either. See what I mean on the comptroller's own hotel tax info page.

Am I the only one bothered by this?