Mayor not planning to impose extra tax

By Lisa Kocian
Globe Staff

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy said she isn’t planning to impose the extra hotel or meals tax allowed under the newly passed state budget, even though she has to make up about $2 million in funding the city hoped to receive from the state but didn’t.

“At this point I cannot recommend that,” said McCarthy of the hotel and restaurant taxes.

She said she will still look at the final formula, which shifted during budget negotiations, but at last look it didn’t seem to benefit Waltham enough to make it worth the potential loss of hotel and restaurant business, she said.

The city is due to receive about $17.4 million from the state based on the budget signed by the governor at the end of June, down from $21.5 million last year. The city’s total budget is $198 million.