Improving Walton County

[Danny Glidewell]

Visitors spent $1,937,607,700 in 2015 in Walton County including almost $500,000,000 on accommodations alone. Additionally, Tourism is the number one industry in Walton County; 19,600 jobs were attributed to direct spending from visitors to Walton County in 2015, and another 4,150 jobs were attributable to the induced and indirect effects of visitors’ spending. These figures account for over $560,000,000 in wages to our workforce. $ 20,000,000 is a small price to pay for that level of economic activity. If cutting these funds resulted in even a 1% decrease in spending or wages, the results would be awful. And remember these are 2015 numbers. The economy is better now than then.
It is clear that you do not favor customary use but I assume you favor the county (TDC) purchasing as much beachfront as possible and developing all the beach accesses that we have land available for? Those expenditures of tax dollars help the tourism industry, locals who do not own beachfront and beachfront owners who wish their beach to be private. Enough public ownership reduces the demand on the private parcels I am sure you will agree.

 

[FloridaBeachBum]

Danny, do you have any data that there is a correlation, a cause and effect, between TDC $20,000,000 and tourism? My opinion is that there is no correlation and that tourist will come without TDC marketing. We are equal on opinions. If there is a correlation let the businesses who benefit from marketing pay for it. I am sure you agree that if there is a correlation businesses will invest their own money.

“If cutting these funds resulted in even a 1% decrease in spending or wages, the results would be awful.” you and the BCC do not have clue what decrease (1%?) county GDP, if any, would occur. The county GDP may increase when you keep that $20,000,000 in the tourist's pockets and let the free market work. Plus why is the Government marking for private businesses?

Why would you tax people’s hard earned money for the BCC/TDC to spend with NO evidence that it has any return on investment? Why, because the BCC/TDC is a Government entity with no annual accountability, like a business, all the BCC have to do is raise taxes for more revenue to market and litigate. That’s not how businesses work. The business owner own money is at risk. Where is TDC business plan, results, and return on investment? Governments should stick to taxing for safety, security, and sanitation and leave the rest for the businesses where the free market will hold accountable with either a profit or losses.

You know what they say about assumptions … I won't assume you know anything about what I'm in favor of in regards to BCC tax and spend.
Why do you/BCC need to purchase any beachfront with customary take? I’m sure you will agree; even if you taxed ($7,430,000 for 100 feet for Dune Allen) and purchased 50% of the beach, public ownership would not reduce the encroachment/demand on private property next to public property unless law enforcement protects private property rights (including the private use and enjoyment) and - it is clear you do not favor private property rights owners had before April 2017.

Danny, you have good intentions but Government is not the answer except to regulate and enforce public beach activities and you do not need $20,000,000 TDC to do that.

 

[Danny Glidewell]

I am not a big fan of taxes period. And while I know what assuming will get you I still must assume that advertising has some impact on the number of visitors. You would need polling or surveys to quantify that. However, lets assume ( there's that word again) that we cut all advertising and reduce the taxes accordingly. We still need lifeguards, beach cleanup, code enforcement, beach access acquisition and maintenance and a dozen other things the TDC provides. You mentioned Public Works providing these services. If that happened, then the funds would come from the General Fund (property taxes) and either other services would be cut or taxes would increase. You must have a TDC to collect bed taxes.
We do not agree on customary use because I remember beaches being open to everyone since my childhood which was certainly before April of 2017. But I also want to do what is in the best interests of everyone and I would rather use money to acquire beachfront than to use those funds to pay attorney fees. I cannot see how public accesses, properly designed and maintained, would not act to keep the vast majority of beach users off the privately held beaches and on public beaches. Unless the private owners build public accesses the public will go where it is convenient to go.
Are you for more public accesses? Are you for purchasing public beaches and building accesses?