From the Richmond Palladium-Item
The Wayne County Finance Committee took its first look Wednesday at the proposed 2013 budget of the Wayne County Convention and Tourism Bureau.
That budget is projected at $565,323, up $68,594 or about 10.3 percent over the present-year budget. That increase is spread across the budget but will mainly be spent on marketing and promotions where a $46,144, or 17.2 percent increase from the present year, is anticipated.
“Whenever we have extra dollars our goal is to spend them on marketing because that’s what brings people in,” said tourism director Mary Walker.
The tourism bureau is funded solely by the county’s innkeeper’s tax, which levies a 5 percent tax on dollars spent on stays in hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts in the county.
The bureau has seen an increase in the money it receives, particularly this year since the Holiday Inn on the far east side opened in August, Walker said.
“We are extremely excited to have the Holiday Inn on board,” Walker said. “It’s an exciting addition to our inventory.”
Last year the county received $386,658 from the innkeeper tax. Already this year through October, the county has received $411,050.
Walker pointed out that “if we don’t have the dollars we can’t spend them.”
“We pride ourselves on being a very fiscally prudent organization,” she said.
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“There is no property tax or other public dollars that go into our budget,” Walker said. “The innkeeper’s tax are out-of-town dollars that come into our community.”
The finance committee discussed the budget and set it for a public hearing Dec. 5. The county council will be asked to approve the budget following the public hearing.
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