CRESTVIEW HILLS — Northern Kentucky hotels' business is down so much that owners are calling for a higher tax on their product to pay for more promotion. But local politicians aren't sure it would be prudent.

        At the annual “State of Northern Kentucky” address, the top officials in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties gave little indication the state-approved one-cent increase in the hotel tax would be imposed soon.

        And after the Comair strike and continuing fallout from the April riots and violence in Cincinnati, the President of the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau Jim Willman said the extra promotion is needed to fight a sharp drop off in business.

        “We saw a 10 percent drop in the Northern Kentucky market in (hotel) rooms sold in January, February and March, then Com air went on strike,” he said. “Now we're at 25 and 30 percent down.”

        The estimated $1 million a year raised by the proposed increase would be used to promote tourism in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

        Individual hotel owners are supporting the tax increase, too. But without the backing of the area's three county fiscal courts — difficult to garner in this election year — the tax increase cannot be charged.

        Kenton County Judge-executive Dick Murgatroyd said he is willing to consider the increase.

        But Boone County Judge-executive Gary Moore said he sees the benefits of the tax but hasn't been persuaded to support it.

        “When business is down all business sense tells you the one thing you don't stop and you may increase is the marketing dollars,” said Mr. Willman, vice president operations for the Drawbridge Inn in Fort Mitchell.

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