$101,440 to design a pedestrian bridge on Western Lake

[Lake View Too]

You kind of lost me on the last part, especially about the owners paying the tax. The tourists pay the tax. The owners, large and small, are making money. The question is, does the TDC add a discernible level of awareness to the nation of our area as a viable vacation destination relative to the amount of money it squanders. Most everybody has a website these days, and most consumers circumvent typical advertisement anyway. Do we really have a metric of what all this loose money is producing?

 

[Truman]

All owner costs get factored into rent - management fees, property taxes, cleaning, light bulbs, bed tax, toilet paper, painting, insurance, wine glasses, utitlities, etc. The owner collects rent, pays what he owes, and pockets any profit. Parceling out that renters pay bed tax is as useless as saying renters pay for wine glasses or light bulbs. And if bed tax ended tomorrow, nobody is going to lower rents.

 

[Lake View Too]

So, we continue a fairly useless taxing authority that can't provide any discernible evidence that it's effective nor efficient ???

 

[Truman]

I think it's easy to see some of the tangible things like walkovers and trash pickup that are effective, are they efficient? Not sure but those things are measurable. I would like to see advertising and marketing be reduced and programs to enhance quality of life and visitor experience increased.

http://www.visitsouthwalton.org/annual-report

 

[joho]

If it raises the speed limit higher than 25 mph I don't care what it cost......

(just being silly)

 

[meggiemom]

I get the feeling that a lot of people think that as long as the tax money comes from tourists, it's ok to waste it. It's too bad that it can't be put to good use.

 

[Geo]

We can measure the number of people getting the message. We can measure the number of visitors we get and the amount of bed tax being collected. Correlation can be inferred. Causation is difficult except for a qualitative argument.

I believe in marketing our area and in investing in infrastructure with some of the money our TDC collects. I believe in using local firms whenever possible when we spend the money.

I believe in oversight but no likey when the vocal minority carry torches around.

My understanding is we are having record seasons. Smell the roses.

 

[Kurt]

So, we continue a fairly useless taxing authority that can't provide any discernible evidence that it's effective nor efficient ???

Download: October Monthly Activity Report 2012
Download: November Monthly Activity Report 2012
Download: December Monthly Activity Report 2012
Download: January Monthly Activity Report 2013
Download: February Monthly Activity Report 2013
Download: March Monthly Activity Report 2013
Download: April Monthly Activity Report 2013
Download: May Monthly Actvity Report 2013
Download: June Monthly Activity Report 2013
Download: July Monthly Activity Report 2013
Download: August Monthly Activity Report 2013
Download: September Monthly Activity Report 2013
Download: October Monthly Activity Report 2013
2012-2013 Annual Report
Download: Annual Report 2012-2013 PDF
Download: Annual Snapshot 2012-2013
Below you will find the year to date leads tracking report, statistical workbook.
Download: Full Stats Workbook
For more information about any of the reports referenced above please contact Kelli Carter (850) 622-7812.

 

[Lake View Too]

I want to clarify my comments. I am a mostly uninformed full time resident who is simply ranting against the overall overpopulation of this area, made all the worse because of lack of infrastructure, and the incumbent traffic and parking problems that will forever get worse. I'm not against the TDC in particular. I'm against the whole concept that more and more tourism is a good thing. Apparently, making great rental income is more important than almost anything else on this community. Again, just ranting, with little data and just an overall bad attitude.

 

[j p nettles]

I don't think record numbers of tourists are the result of the wonderful marketing efforts of the TDC.