SeeCalifornia.com

Photo: Flying high on Dumbo the Elephant ride at Disneyland, Anaheim, Calif.

There’s a sort of euphoria in travel. You get out of your house, get to see new sights, taste new foods, and even fly at theme parks, on planes and, unfortunately, when you get the bills from your credit card to pay for the trip.

If you’re a shoestring-budget traveler with barely any wiggle room for spending on a trip, calculate your costs before you go–all of them. Each hotel and car rental company will disclose the total, take-out price so you can know. Taxes and parking fees at hotels as you travel throughout California this summer can nearly double the cost of a trip!  Though Anaheim at one time had the third highest hotel taxes in the nation, it has dropped on the list as other cities throughout the U.S. began creating special tax districts and increasing rates on those fees.

The U.S. Travel Association says that many travelers have cited high tourist taxes as a reason to go to less expensive hotels or restaurants, or not to visit certain destinations at all.

While the hotel taxes in California are highest in cities such as Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco, the taxes, themselves, are one element of fees you pay. If you rent a car in California, you’re paying a fee that helps market California as a tourist destination. And if you park that car in a hotel garage, the cost is generally $20-up. All of these travel fees are additional beyond the sales tax you pay. Do you pay more for online booking? Probably. Look at the “fee” or “convenience fee” when you book a hotel online. Some online booking sources offered “no fee” policies and then repealed them. A few still offer no added fees. The convenience fee can cost another $5-20 per night.

In September 2011 a California state court rejected the City of San Diego’s attempts to impose hotel occupancy taxes on online travel companies (OTCs).  Ruling that OTCs are neither owners nor operators of hotels, the Los Angeles Superior Court held that San Diego’s occupancy tax ordinance did not apply to the booking services offered by the OTCs.  In doing so, the Court overturned a decision by a San Diego administrative hearing officer assessing more than $21 million in taxes and penalties against the OTCs, and joined a large majority of courts nationwide that have ruled against municipalities and states in similar hotel tax cases.

The five most taxing cities:
Chicago
New York
Seattle
Boston
Kansas City, Mo.

The Beatles song, Taxman

Let me tell you how it will be
There’s one for you, nineteen for me
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don’t take it all
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah I’m the taxman

If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street,
If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I’ll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet.

Don’t ask me what I want it for
If you don’t want to pay some more
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

Now my advice for those who die
Declare the pennies on your eyes
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman
And you’re working for no one but me.