Venice postpones hotel tax vote

THE debate and vote on Venice’s proposed accommodation tax was delayed on Monday evening (June 20)due to protests, walkouts by certain councillors and a lack of quorum. Outside the chambers, people held up banners decrying money being wasted and suggested that not just tourists but also locals wouldsuffer a greater tax burden under the various proposals. The council will reconvene today and any resolution would mean that an accommodation tax is unlikely to come into force before August 23.While the proposed tariff system is very similar to Florence’s (one euro, per star, per person, per night), there remains some uncertainty about whether Mestre and minor islands would be charged a lower rate.