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APRIL 3, 2015
EASTER The offices of Ocean City Today and Bayside Gazette will be closed April 3, and will reopen on Monday at 8:30 a.m.
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Online travel outfits could see tax shift Now in House, measure would tax full room price
STEWART DOBSON/OCEAN CITY TODAY
IT’S FINALLY SPRING After a long, cold and dreary couple of months, at least something recognizes what time of year it is, as a patch of crocuses in Ocean City goes into full bloom in a late March that is slightly less chilly.
By Brian Gilliland Staff Writer (April 3, 2015) The problem here is the notion of “taxable price.” Is it what the buyer pays the supplier, or what the buyer then charges the consumer? That is the question Maryland General Assembly is attempting to answer this week, with a pair of bills that would clarify the law by establishing that sales taxes on hotel and motel room bookings be paid by online travel vendors at the regular retail rate. Theoretically, people can find deals for lodging at good rates, because hotels contract with online travel agencies to sell unused room inventory. Among the largest of these vendors are Expedia and Priceline who negotiate a wholesale rate of sorts to sell what See ROOM page 5
Firehouse overhaul gets hauled out for discussion City to rethink current plans after FD says it could need vacant water tower property
By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (April 3, 2015) A decision that threatens to make you look bad either way is everyone’s least favorite decision. Especially for politicians. Nevertheless, the Ocean City Council made a belabored decision this week to postpone work on the Ocean City Fire Department headquarters building at 15th Street for at least another 90 days. This could involve scrapping the current design that the city has already spent $105,000 on, but also would mean the potential for future service improvements and cost savings by integrating
additional property into the project now, and avoiding headaches with an inadequate building years down the road. “It’s not easy for me to come to you with what looks like a last-minute, whodid-what change,” said OCFD Chief Chris Larmore. “But we’re trying to continue in that role of being responsible. Given new information, we wanted to come back before the council.” That new information is the revelation that the city water tower on the southwest corner of the current fire station could be removed as early as 2016. This would provide space for the aging station to be improved and expanded beyond what is currently planned, adding a number of needed upgrades that weren’t do-able within the space that currently exists. See ENGINE page 3
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To rebuild or remodel the 15th Street fire station – that is the question the Ocean City Council faces because of change in the schedule for removing the water tower next door.
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