AUBURN -- Meg Vanek kept her eyes down on her paperwork instead of watching as one by one, Cayuga County legislators again voted on a bill requesting state authorization to increase Cayuga County's hotel and motel room tax.

The second time around legislators supported the bill 9-3, Tuesday night, requesting state authorization to increase the hotel and motel room tax from 3 to 5 percent.

If the state approves the request, the county must hold a public hearing before holding the final vote.

"I'm very excited and pleased," said Vanek, executive director of the Cayuga County Office of Tourism. "This means we can start moving forward with planning to use the additional revenue."

Legislator Peter Tortorici, R-Auburn, said in April when he voted against the original bill, that he would reconsider the bill if the language was tightened up as to where the money is directed. A majority of legislators who voted against the bill for the same reason supported the amended bill.

Tortorici reintroduced the bill back to the floor, stating that he would like it to be reconsidered now that the language is tightened up.

Legislators wanted to assure that the money is directed to the Cayuga County Office of Tourism.

Legally, the exact location of where the money goes can't be named but legislators were satisfied with adding that the revenue generated from the tax be allocated to a single not-for-profit corporation under contract with the county for tourism promotion and convention development in the county. According to state law, all revenues from the occupancy tax must be credited to a special account for tourism promotion and development.

After hearing that the bill passed, Vanek looked up, smiled and nodded her head in satisfaction before the short meeting ended.

Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.