Agreed. I'm done regarding Surfrider now that Bobby J knows the difference between BMBV and BMBW.
I can hear it now from the peanut gallery..."there is none".
Let's move on past all the "garbage" .
Led away in Handcuffs
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I can hear it now from the peanut gallery..."there is none".
Let's move on past all the "garbage" .
I was unclear on this point. We did not receive any actual 'citation'. The officer said he was writing one but gave us nothing. I don't have a case name. I couldn't even find out if the arrest warrant had been issued until going to the Sheriffs substation. That information wasn't given over the phone. My main point was that we did not have to leave the beach at all that day. We weren't arrested and escorted away.
yippie,
It looks that way to me as well. (also no lawyer)
Wasn't it mentioned as part of the Gulf Drive hullabaloo that they "renourished" private beach so they were going to pay the government back?
BeachSiO2,
I read the link from the TDC, posted above, which describes the authority and use of the bed tax. I think the TDC just wanted to bog me down for a few minutes with all of that readinglol, because the guts were at the end, described in number 4, which is one of the uses of the tax revenue generated for bed tax:
[SIZE=-1]"4. To finance beach park facilities or beach improvement, maintenance, renourishment, restoration, and erosion control, including shoreline protection, enhancement, cleanup,..."
I'm no lawyer, either. ;-)
This statement, above, does not specify private beaches or public beaches. It simply states, "beaches." I could argue either way, because it is not defined. However, after reading the rest of the material in the link, I do see that most of the cases in which the bed taxes can be used, all go back to promoting tourism. The beaches are the largest draw for our tourists. However, if a property owner wants to claim exclusive rights to the beach, I don't see how they are helping to promote tourism, especially in a subdivision which doesn't allow rentals for less than one month period of time (ie - The Retreat). I recently heard a statistic from the attorney, Mr. Miller, representing Nature Walk (I took it with a bucket of salt), which was conducted by Resort Quest for this area, which stated that the average tourist in our area stays for a period of only seven days. Knowing that, I would say that The Retreat has nothing to do with tourism.
I wonder since the TDC is currently battling in Court to receive authority to pump sand onto and in front of the beach of privately deeded beach property, if the TDC would also have the authority to perform maintenance, such as garbage collection, on the privately deeded beach.
Personally, I think the two go hand in hand. It is "the beach," not the "privately owned beach," nor the "public beach." It is "the beach" - The same beach which draws in tourists by the SUV loads. It is the beach on which the TDC is restoring. It is the beach which the TDC maintains by collecting garbage. It is the beach which provides the money in the pockets of most everyone working in SoWal. To take that away, is essentially driving away the tourists and the livelihoods of most everyone working in SoWal, as well as many of the people in NoWal, who gain tremendously from the overall tax revenues sent back to those districts.
I say, keep the trashcans, and keep the sand, and keep the beaches. To heck with this "private beach" bologna.
[/SIZE]
I read the link from the TDC, posted above, which describes the authority and use of the bed tax. I think the TDC just wanted to bog me down for a few minutes with all of that reading
lol, because the guts were at the end, described in number 4, which is one of the uses of the tax revenue generated for bed tax:[SIZE=-1]"4. To finance beach park facilities or beach improvement, maintenance, renourishment, restoration, and erosion control, including shoreline protection, enhancement, cleanup,..."
I'm no lawyer, either. ;-)
This statement, above, does not specify private beaches or public beaches. It simply states, "beaches." I could argue either way, because it is not defined. However, after reading the rest of the material in the link, I do see that most of the cases in which the bed taxes can be used, all go back to promoting tourism. The beaches are the largest draw for our tourists. However, if a property owner wants to claim exclusive rights to the beach, I don't see how they are helping to promote tourism, especially in a subdivision which doesn't allow rentals for less than one month period of time (ie - The Retreat). I recently heard a statistic from the attorney, Mr. Miller, representing Nature Walk (I took it with a bucket of salt), which was conducted by Resort Quest for this area, which stated that the average tourist in our area stays for a period of only seven days. Knowing that, I would say that The Retreat has nothing to do with tourism.
I wonder since the TDC is currently battling in Court to receive authority to pump sand onto and in front of the beach of privately deeded beach property, if the TDC would also have the authority to perform maintenance, such as garbage collection, on the privately deeded beach.
Personally, I think the two go hand in hand. It is "the beach," not the "privately owned beach," nor the "public beach." It is "the beach" - The same beach which draws in tourists by the SUV loads. It is the beach on which the TDC is restoring. It is the beach which the TDC maintains by collecting garbage. It is the beach which provides the money in the pockets of most everyone working in SoWal. To take that away, is essentially driving away the tourists and the livelihoods of most everyone working in SoWal, as well as many of the people in NoWal, who gain tremendously from the overall tax revenues sent back to those districts.
I say, keep the trashcans, and keep the sand, and keep the beaches. To heck with this "private beach" bologna.
[/SIZE]
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BeachSiO2,
I read the link from the TDC, posted above, which describes the authority and use of the bed tax. I think the TDC just wanted to bog me down for a few minutes with all of that reading
[SIZE=-1]"4. To finance beach park facilities or beach improvement, maintenance, renourishment, restoration, and erosion control, including shoreline protection, enhancement, cleanup,..."
I'm no lawyer, either. ;-)
This statement, above, does not specify private beaches or public beaches. It simply states, "beaches." I could argue either way, because it is not defined. However, after reading the rest of the material in the link, I do see that most of the cases in which the bed taxes can be used, all go back to promoting tourism. The beaches are the largest draw for our tourists. However, if a property owner wants to claim exclusive rights to the beach, I don't see how they are helping to promote tourism, especially in a subdivision which doesn't allow rentals for less than one month period of time (ie - The Retreat). I recently heard a statistic from the attorney, Mr. Miller, representing Nature Walk (I took it with a bucket of salt), which was conducted by Resort Quest for this area, which stated that the average tourist in our area stays for a period of only seven days. Knowing that, I would say that The Retreat has nothing to do with tourism.
I wonder since the TDC is currently battling in Court to receive authority to pump sand onto and in front of the beach of privately deeded beach property, if the TDC would also have the authority to perform maintenance, such as garbage collection, on the privately deeded beach.
Personally, I think the two go hand in hand. It is "the beach," not the "privately owned beach," nor the "public beach." It is "the beach" - The same beach which draws in tourists by the SUV loads. It is the beach on which the TDC is restoring. It is the beach which the TDC maintains by collecting garbage. It is the beach which provides the money in the pockets of most everyone working in SoWal. To take that away, is essentially driving away the tourists and the livelihoods of most everyone working in SoWal, as well as many of the people in NoWal, who gain tremendously from the overall tax revenues sent back to those districts.
I say, keep the trashcans, and keep the sand, and keep the beaches. To heck with this "private beach" bologna.
[/SIZE]
Smiling Joe, I don't mean to question you, however, you left off the last part of the sentenence.
4. To finance beach park facilities or beach improvement, maintenance, renourishment, restoration, and erosion control, including shoreline protection, enhancement, cleanup, or restoration of inland lakes and rivers to which there is public access
Seems pretty clear to me.
It is late in the day.
BeachSiO2,
I read the link from the TDC, posted above, which describes the authority and use of the bed tax. I think the TDC just wanted to bog me down for a few minutes with all of that reading
[SIZE=-1]"4. To finance beach park facilities or beach improvement, maintenance, renourishment, restoration, and erosion control, including shoreline protection, enhancement, cleanup,..."[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]I'm no lawyer, either. ;-) [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]This statement, above, does not specify private beaches or public beaches. It simply states, "beaches." I could argue either way, because it is not defined. However, after reading the rest of the material in the link, I do see that most of the cases in which the bed taxes can be used, all go back to promoting tourism. The beaches are the largest draw for our tourists. However, if a property owner wants to claim exclusive rights to the beach, I don't see how they are helping to promote tourism, especially in a subdivision which doesn't allow rentals for less than one month period of time (ie - The Retreat). I recently heard a statistic from the attorney, Mr. Miller, representing Nature Walk (I took it with a bucket of salt), which was conducted by Resort Quest for this area, which stated that the average tourist in our area stays for a period of only seven days. Knowing that, I would say that The Retreat has nothing to do with tourism. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]I wonder since the TDC is currently battling in Court to receive authority to pump sand onto and in front of the beach of privately deeded beach property, if the TDC would also have the authority to perform maintenance, such as garbage collection, on the privately deeded beach.
[SIZE=-1]Personally, I think the two go hand in hand. It is "the beach," not the "privately owned beach," nor the "public beach." It is "the beach" - The same beach which draws in tourists by the SUV loads. It is the beach on which the TDC is restoring. It is the beach which the TDC maintains by collecting garbage. It is the beach which provides the money in the pockets of most everyone working in SoWal. To take that away, is essentially driving away the tourists and the livelihoods of most everyone working in SoWal, as well as many of the people in NoWal, who gain tremendously from the overall tax revenues sent back to those districts. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]I say, keep the trashcans, and keep the sand, and keep the beaches. To heck with this "private beach" bologna.[/SIZE]
HELLO!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!! on the nose baby!!!!
we're not paying to maintain somebody's private beach. we're paying to maintain a beach that is the lifeblood of the entire county.
we need to act like we want this business and that we care about the visitors instead of just bleed em dry, kick 'em off our private beaches and just pray they come back to drop $1m on a beachouse. yikes!
<<<<<<<1. To acquire, construct, extend, enlarge, remodel, repair, improve, maintain, operate, or promote one or more publicly owned and operated convention centers, sports stadiums, sports arenas, coliseums, or auditoriums, or museums that are publicly owned and operated or owned and operated by not-for-profit organizations and open to the public, within the boundaries of the county or subcounty special taxing district in which the tax is levied. Tax revenues received pursuant to this section may also be used for promotion of zoological parks that are publicly owned and operated or owned and operated by not-for-profit organizations and open to the public. However, these purposes may be implemented through service contracts and leases with lessees with sufficient expertise or financial capability to operate such facilities;>>>>>
oh i BEGGED the TDC for a performing arts center/museum!!
a park would be cool too though! :roll:
Well, Sowallers, I'm no lawyer either...but, I have worked with a few and I think if one wanted to get very technical...then, all the marketing money that is being used to attract tourists to the area, should not be used to attract renters to those areas which claim private beaches.....So, if anyone is renting in an area with a so-called private beach, they should be reimbursing TDC for some of the marketing/advertising money that is paid to get their renters here!
Now, see how totally ridiculous this whole idea of private beach becomes.
I agree with SJ--let's keep the TDC money flowing and keep the beaches open for all to enjoy...especially little kids building sand castles with their parents, and solitary folks sitting on the beach!
Now, see how totally ridiculous this whole idea of private beach becomes.
I agree with SJ--let's keep the TDC money flowing and keep the beaches open for all to enjoy...especially little kids building sand castles with their parents, and solitary folks sitting on the beach!
How about this?
Gulf front properties that have their own private deeded access to a private beach should be exempt from paying the 4% bed tax in Walton County. Other than maybe garbage pick-up on the beach, TDC is not providing much of any other direct benefit to gulf front owners in general as they do not need the services of public accesses, parking, public restrooms, showers, etc. We don't even have a lifeguard in our area...and, could that work anyway on "private beaches"?
Beach renourshment would obviously be another issue. But if the Florida Supreme Court rules against the county, then gulf front property will never see that benefit along 30A (or anywhere else for that matter). I guess we just helped pay for western Walton county all this time. Oh well.
I'd give up our garbage "bag" on the beach and the tire tracks if I could save my guests 4% off or around $60 a week for a $1500 unit. That $60 could be pumped DIRECTLY into Walton County's economy such as the Red Bar or 331. I know Oli and crew need the business.
I'd venture a guess that about 2/3 of my renters are repeat or direct referrals or they found us by typing "Blue Mountain Beach" in Google and the rest from VRBO.
I've always had some questions on TDC's role but what the heck, I collect and pay the taxes anyway...which reminds me that July 20th is a few days away.
The last 3 months were stellar, they'll be glad to see.
So for those of you thinking gulf front owners with a private beach are receiving some undeserved benefit from TDC, I guess a gulf front owner could say they are paying taxes for benefits not needed from the TDC to the tune of over $10,000 per quarter for a single trashbag on the beach for gulf front rental properties in our area at Blue Mountain Beach. Makes $67/quarter for Waste Management look like a flippin' bargain!
If they pay me that, I'll retire now and empty the garbage bag twice a day / 7 days a week with no tire tracks.
Just a thought.;-)
Gulf front properties that have their own private deeded access to a private beach should be exempt from paying the 4% bed tax in Walton County. Other than maybe garbage pick-up on the beach, TDC is not providing much of any other direct benefit to gulf front owners in general as they do not need the services of public accesses, parking, public restrooms, showers, etc. We don't even have a lifeguard in our area...and, could that work anyway on "private beaches"?
Beach renourshment would obviously be another issue. But if the Florida Supreme Court rules against the county, then gulf front property will never see that benefit along 30A (or anywhere else for that matter). I guess we just helped pay for western Walton county all this time. Oh well.
I'd give up our garbage "bag" on the beach and the tire tracks if I could save my guests 4% off or around $60 a week for a $1500 unit. That $60 could be pumped DIRECTLY into Walton County's economy such as the Red Bar or 331. I know Oli and crew need the business.
I'd venture a guess that about 2/3 of my renters are repeat or direct referrals or they found us by typing "Blue Mountain Beach" in Google and the rest from VRBO.
I've always had some questions on TDC's role but what the heck, I collect and pay the taxes anyway...which reminds me that July 20th is a few days away.
The last 3 months were stellar, they'll be glad to see. So for those of you thinking gulf front owners with a private beach are receiving some undeserved benefit from TDC, I guess a gulf front owner could say they are paying taxes for benefits not needed from the TDC to the tune of over $10,000 per quarter for a single trashbag on the beach for gulf front rental properties in our area at Blue Mountain Beach. Makes $67/quarter for Waste Management look like a flippin' bargain!
If they pay me that, I'll retire now and empty the garbage bag twice a day / 7 days a week with no tire tracks.
Just a thought.;-)
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How about this?
Gulf front properties that have their own private deeded access to a private beach should be exempt from paying the 4% bed tax in Walton County. Other than maybe garbage pick-up on the beach, TDC is not providing much of any other direct benefit to gulf front owners in general as they do not need the services of public accesses, parking, public restrooms, showers, etc. We don't even have a lifeguard in our area...and, could that work anyway on "private beaches"?
Beach renourshment would obviously be another issue. But if the Florida Supreme Court rules against the county, then gulf front property will never see that benefit along 30A (or anywhere else for that matter). I guess we just helped pay for western Walton county all this time. Oh well.
I'd give up our garbage "bag" on the beach and the tire tracks if I could save my guests 4% off or around $60 a week for a $1500 unit. That $60 could be pumped DIRECTLY into Walton County's economy such as the Red Bar or 331. I know Oli and crew need the business.
I'd venture a guess that about 2/3 of my renters are repeat or direct referrals or they found us by typing "Blue Mountain Beach" in Google and the rest from VRBO.
I've always had some questions on TDC's role but what the heck, I collect and pay the taxes anyway...which reminds me that July 20th is a few days away.
So for those of you thinking gulf front owners with a private beach are receiving some undeserved benefit from TDC, I guess a gulf front owner could say they are paying taxes for benefits not needed from the TDC to the tune of over $10,000 per quarter for a single trashbag on the beach for gulf front rental properties in our area at Blue Mountain Beach. Makes $67/quarter for Waste Management look like a flippin' bargain!
If they pay me that, I'll retire now and empty the garbage bag twice a day / 7 days a week with no tire tracks.
Just a thought.;-)
Make that $1,000.00 per month. I believe there is some language in there about communities with under 100,000 people, only 10% can be used for the beach maintenance.
Do you really want to give up all that "free" advertising promoting that very beach your units are on?
I think it says something about 90% of the money goes for other things, like promoting tourism in the area. Something we all benefit from.