your help needed for shoreline funding

[pmd8]

Greater Miami gets 10 million visitors a year, Walton county a little over 2 million. Miami is the poorest large city in America. A home appraised for $250,000 in Miami Beach (if there were one) has a property tax of about $6000. In Walton County a similar home would be taxed $2500.

Tourism is the primary industry of Dade County.

Naples gets 1.5 million visitors a year. It has the highest per capita income in the state and is sixth in the nation.

Could this mean that the fewer the visitors, the higher the per capita income and the lower the taxes?

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

"What about the small business owners, teachers, contractors, fire fighters, architects, doctors, realtors (thats for S.J.). Without tourists--people who come to our community to spend their money--none of us would have jobs. I know many, many families who are already struggling to get by with the slow-down of the real estate market. These are not wealthy people, but regular middle class families who have made their homes here and don't want to leave but may have to."

Hmmm, well, since you put it that way, a population reduction would be great. Then we wouldn't need contractors, real estate agents, fire fighters or teachers.
Eventually it would just be forty or fifty of us and we'd have it all to ourselves.

I'm sure there were people in Pass Christian and Waveland who felt the same way before Katrina came along and destroyed their homes and towns. Not so much funn when reality hits.

 

[Smiling JOe]

"What about the small business owners, teachers, contractors, fire fighters, architects, doctors, realtors (thats for S.J.). Without tourists--people who come to our community to spend their money--none of us would have jobs. I know many, many families who are already struggling to get by with the slow-down of the real estate market. These are not wealthy people, but regular middle class families who have made their homes here and don't want to leave but may have to."

Hmmm, well, since you put it that way, a population reduction would be great. Then we wouldn't need contractors, real estate agents, fire fighters or teachers.
Eventually it would just be forty or fifty of us and we'd have it all to ourselves.

I for one would be just as happy living in a tent, except for the lack of airconditioning. I don't have to sell real estate, I just do, and I enjoy it. I don't hate many people. In fact, it would be difficult to find 3 people that I could honestly say that I hate. I enjoy selling real estate, but I would be just as happy fishing for my food on the beach.

There is good which comes with the bad. More people = money, happy faces, a bit more diversity, outlet for our art which keeps our creativity going, etc.

more people also = more trash, more traffic, longer waits, higher real estate prices, more strain on our natural resources, more strain on paying the bills, etc.

To not notice the two sides, one must be blind. I think we all recognize both sides of the story. Some just lean more to one side than the other. I want everyone to be able to see the place which attracted me, but it is being squeezed out, drop by drop. That happens when great places get discovered. So, I fight half the battle and try to enjoy the other half. Again, I don't hate Gulf Front owners any more or less than I would anyone else. I may not agree with others actions, but hate is a big word. If I were to try to point blame at anyone, I would have to go back at least to the gov't which allowed people to purchase Gulf Front property on which to build. You will see me packing up my bags before you would ever see me pulling down walls. I try not to have that kind of angst build within me.

 

[pmd8]

A swirling vortex of misery and despair

Strictly tongue in cheek.

No matter how much of a decline has occurred, people still keep coming at the rate of 1000 a day.

I do, however, think there is some truth to the above post that increased tourism does not equal an increased standard of living. Indeed it would seem the opposite. One need only go to Orlando to see what it's like to live in the town that has the number one tourist attraction in the world.


The vast majority of jobs are in the minimum wage service industry. Small business owners are a small fraction. My father is a small business owner somewhat to the right of Pat Buchanan and even he is appalled at the disregard for the environment in the name of tourism.

When Bay and Walton County Commissioners change zoning or grant variances it benefits a small group of wealthy developers at the expense of local residents. When a Walton County Commissioner builds illegal seawalls to benefit a few dozen property owners it speaks volumes about the priorities of our elected officials. When people at a Bay County Commission meeting question certain developments, Commissioner Pilcher's response is "If the people want to see the water, they should buy some property [on the water]."

The interests of full time residents should outweigh those of tourists and developers. Which brings us back to the original post. Beach renourishment should not be encouraged, better planning should.

 

[Sally]

Hello All -

Please see the below information concerning funding for the Walton County federal beach nourishment project. I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to respond to the U.S. Senate. Because of you, we are now one step closer to completion! Once again -- thank you!

- Kriss
_________

The U.S. Senate just included $553,000 in FY 2007 funding for the Walton County federal beach nourishment project. This funding will allow the County's project to move one step closer to completion, and one step closer to a large, County-wide beach project.

One reason we were able to secure this funding is due to the terrific response from Walton County residents in support of the project. Over the past several days, over 350 messages were sent to your Congressional delegation by 115 people through a web-email portal we set up on your behalf while also drafting the letter of support used. This support will need to be maintained not just this year, but over the next several years as we continue to look for increased levels of funding.

Congrats on getting the word out to the residents and lets keep up the good work .
------------------------


Kriss Titus
Executive Director
Beaches of South Walton TDC
P. O. Box 1248
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459
(850) 267-1216 ext. 126
(800) 822-6877
(850) 267-3943 Fax
Visit our web site at www.beachesofsouthwalton.com

 

[BeachSteelers]

While you write Sen. Martinez be sure to tell him to change his view on gulf drilling. Seems he's OK with drilling w/n 50 miles of the shoreline. 50,125, or 5 miles whatever they think is OK is Not. Check Cali or Miss.,Ala. and tell me it won't affect the beach.
As to shorline funding. The shorline Cliff we all enjoy protection from is there because that huge body of water put it there. By dumping sand onto the beach does anyone believe the next storm will not take it away? Does building/buying a house a few feet back from a cliff make it worth OUR Tax dollars to put a bandaid onto a cut artery? We might as well subsidize Seawalls for all if we want to throw money away. Big Hurricanes built the cliff,lakes,dunes and beautiful envirorment we found here. Only our Dumba..es can mess it up!!!

 

[waltondude]

Re: Just say no

teachers, fire fighters,teachers, fire fighters, .

The collapse of the tourism market, if you actually believe it would totally collapse would more than likely lead to more affordable housing for teachers, firefighters, police officers, janitors, lunchroom workers, and ditch diggers. The slow down in the real estate market is again a correction that all market based economies must go through. That is why you have savings accounts and rainy day funds. If you are going to live beyond your means then you must be prepared for the inevitable. But if we did not have tourists we would not need beach restoration, a widened bridge, a four laned road, nor near as many schools, hospitals, paved roads, or people. It is all relevant. Yes there will be some pain, but it will teach us to appreciate just how good we do have it in this country. Even our poorest have indoor plumbing and access to food for the most part. Once the correction is over maybe we will have some skilled workers in this area.