Editor:
On the front page of the Highlands Today (Saturday, June 9, 2012), was a story "Lakes guide unveiled." It was about the new Lakes Guide pamphlet that TDC paid for. The question is, where did they get the money? And, was it in accordance with Florida State Statute 125.0104?
You decide.
The TDC has several funds from which to spend money. (Fund) 5303 is to "Promote and advertise to attract tourists to Highlands County targeting the off-season." Thirty-two percent of the tax money collected is to be used for this. For one reason or another, that fund doesn't have much money in it.
Fund 5306 is for "Beaches, beach parks, lakes and rivers improvement, maintenance and restoration." Ten percent of the tax money collected goes in this fund and SS 125.0104 says it can only be spent for maintaining our beaches, beach parks, lakes and rivers. And this fund had lots of money in it.
So what does the TDC and county commission do? They make a new fund, 5307 "Promote and advertising tourism related to lakes in Highlands County," amending the plan, which is allowed by SS 125.0104. Then with the blessings of our county attorney, they raid the lakes fund 5306 for $50,000, so they can spend it for advertising to bring tourists to Highlands County. Not for maintenance of our lakes, as required by the state. $22,000 was used for the Guide to Area Lakes; $5,000 for welcome signage to county-owned lake access; and $23,000 for other promotion and advertising of tourism related to lakes in Highlands County, Florida (not as yet determined). And what will they do with the 32 percent of the tax dollars collected for fund 5303? Maybe use it to cover the coverage in administration costs, who knows?
So is 10 percent of tourist tax being used to maintain our lakes as promised, when TDC was put on the ballot in 2002? Or is this another promise that was broken.
How can they do this, you ask? Because TDC is a tax forever, you can't get rid of it and they can do whatever they want and there ain't nothing the citizens can do about it.
Now, do you see why the Citizens For Government Accountability is insisting on a sunset in the Tourist Development Tax, as the only way to assure the TDC is accountable to the citizens of Highlands County.
If you agree, sign the TDC petition forcing the commission to put Repealing the Tourist Tax on the ballot, which according to our county attorney, is the only way to put a sunset in the Tourist Tax.
Bill Youngman
Citizens For Government Accountability
Sebring
Friday, June 15, 2012 - www.newssun.com/ltr-061512-Youngman