Bed tax spike in Walton County, Florida [update: 1/2 cent approved]

[Kurt]

TDC Approves Resolution for 5th Cent Bed Tax Use | pcbdaily.com
TDC Approves Resolution for 5th Cent Bed Tax Use

In what was quite possibly the quickest TDC meeting that I’ve ever attended, the Panama City Beach Tourist Development Council unanimously (with the exception of Buddy Wilkes - who is out of the country) approved the adopted resolution to the use of the 5th cent of the bed tax. The tax increase is up for vote by the Bay County Commissioners tomorrow morning.

Florida statute mandates that TDC money levied through bed tax collections cannot be used “seat-guarantees”, but can be used for marketing purposes. Spefically with the application proposed, the money will be used for cooperative advertising with the low cost airlines targeting potential visitors to our area that would use the low cost carrier(s) that would fly into our new airport. If the increase in approved tomorrow this will allow 15 months of time to market to future potential feeder markets and hopefully give a low-cost carrier additional incentive and comfort in coming to the new Panama City Bay County International Airport.

Bay County Commissioner Ken Nelson, who is also a member of the Tourist Development Council said that he thought this would be much more acceptable to the County Commission.

One of the stipulations to the resolution is that at the end of 5 years, the TDC would need to come back to the County Commission to vote on the 5th cent again, otherwise, it would expire.

 

[Miss Kitty]

Did someone come out with an IDIOT pill that I haven't heard about????

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

 

[ShallowsNole]

Note that Kurt's article refers to Bay County, which is jumping from 3% to 4% to 5% in the space of about two months.

Administratively speaking, that's going to be a cluster.

 

[TooFarTampa]

TDC Approves Resolution for 5th Cent Bed Tax Use | pcbdaily.com
TDC Approves Resolution for 5th Cent Bed Tax Use

Florida statute mandates that TDC money levied through bed tax collections cannot be used “seat-guarantees”, but can be used for marketing purposes. Spefically with the application proposed, the money will be used for cooperative advertising with the low cost airlines targeting potential visitors to our area that would use the low cost carrier(s) that would fly into our new airport. If the increase in approved tomorrow this will allow 15 months of time to market to future potential feeder markets and hopefully give a low-cost carrier additional incentive and comfort in coming to the new Panama City Bay County International Airport.

Isn't it FAR more logical to think that a tax increase might drive renters away, thus decreasing the amount of traffic on said airline(s)? Hello?

Econ 101 : You don't raise taxes in a recession!

 

[Matt J]

Okay, for one the TDC, Tourist Development Council, doesn't seem to know it's own name anymore. Tax them to death because bed tax collections are down and we need to advertise to find new people dumb enough to pay a 13% tax on their vacation.

Perhaps it's time that the TDC stopped appointing it's own successors, a violation of the law, and give the power back to the BCC.

 

[BeachSiO2]

Perhaps it's time that the TDC stopped appointing it's own successors, a violation of the law, and give the power back to the BCC.

This is factually inaccurate, but since I have heard it more than once I thought I would comment on the process for selection of TDC board members.

The TDC does not appoint its successors, it is only a recommending body to the BCC. It recommends a successor to the BCC. The BCC does (and always has) select/choose the people who serve on the board of the TDC. The BCC has the right to go against the recommendation of the TDC and approve whomever they wish.

As a side note, the last selections included Jennifer Steele Saunders of the Cultural Arts Association.

THIS IS NOT A COMMENT FROM THE TDC, ONLY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THEIR PROCESSES.

 

[wrobert]

They, and by "they" I mean most of our local government officials, do not view it as a significant tax increase (strange, since they are overwhelmingly Republican) because they do not view it as "our" money because "we" locals are not paying it. I have, repeatedly, heard not only the local officials but the state ones as well, refer to grant money as if it were free money from a tree, or fell from the sky. Oh, well, never mind that grant money is made up of tax revenue that came from somewhere. Just not here, I suppose :roll:
It's the same mindset at work.

Who are you talking about? I have already had two commit to a no vote on the increase.

 

[Andy A]

Isn't it FAR more logical to think that a tax increase might drive renters away, thus decreasing the amount of traffic on said airline(s)? Hello?

Econ 101 : You don't raise taxes in a recession!

Careful, now. You're asking for government representatives to use "common sense" and they are not normally known for doing that.

 

[Bob Wells]

Wrobert,
Who are the 2?

 

[wrobert]

Wrobert,
Who are the 2?

Why don't you talk to five of them and tell me who you think they may be. That will let me know if I can trust what I was told.