Editor:
Answering Feb. 20 Flourishing art:
The story paints a much prettier picture of the Tourist Development Tax than is true. We were told that this tax would bring summer tourists to Highlands. In the six years from April 5 to Oct. 11, tax dollars dropped by 37 percent, due to less tourists.
We said administration costs would be way too high; they promised they would never go above 29 percent of the money taken in. Now they tell us they want to take 42 percent off the top for administration and leave 58 percent of the tax for what it was intended to do.
They promised 10 percent of the tax would go to the lakes of Highlands County; with only 58 percent left, lakes would only get 5.8 percent of the tax. That is, if they don't decide to use the lakes money for something else as they have done in the past.
We asked for a 10-year sunset to be put in the TDC plan so we could see how the plan worked and the voters would have some say and control over TDC. We were told by Ross MacBeth (book 19 page 241 D) that there was no need for a sunset. The tax would only remain in place for 15 years. Now ask for a sunset to be placed in the plan and the standard answer is "No, the voters are not smart enough to make that decision".
Thirty percent of the 58 percent is only 17.4 percent of the total going to advertising grants; that is a drop from 61 percent of what we have now.
Sixty percent of the 58 percent is 34.8 percent of the total. And they are telling us they will use this to promote Highlands; "just trust us, we know we can do a good job." Oh by the way, they are asking for a 50 percent raise of the tax, from 2 to 3 percent. Need more money to do a good job.
Are they telling us the truth this time? If so, they will not object to asking the voters if they want a sunset in the TDC plan in the 2014 election and if so, putting the first 10-year sunset on the ballot during the 2016 election, so we voters can say if we want to keep the TDC or not.
Bill Youngman
Sebring
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - www.newssun.com/ltr-022713-Youngman