September 5, 2003

Ten years ago today, George Bush was President.
Jeb Bush was Governor of Florida.
George Gardner was Mayor of St. Augustine.
We were in a hot war in Iraq.
And ten years ago today was the last time the New York Times Travel Section ran an article dedicated to St. Augustine.
Ten years.
Why?
Those cynical contractors who spend our 4% tourist bed tax dollars are more interested in advertising -- receiving commissions along the way -- than they are in public relations and promoting legitimate news media coverage by the gold standard in the travel business -- The New York Times Travel Section.
Ten years.
Some 3,652 days since the New York Times Travel Section dedicated an article to St. Augustine.
That's a long time.
What are we paying for with our bed taxes?
What are we getting?
All-white brochures that leave our Native-American, Jewish, Roman Catholic, Menorcan, Greek, Civil War, Civil Rights and African-American heritage.
Non-diverse brochures put to shame by World Golf Village, which has more African-Americans in its tourist literature than does the Tourist Development Council's tedious, tatterdemalion, tepid contractor, the St. Johns County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Inc.
Pitiful.
Putrid.
Politicians and staff who "know not that they know not that they know not."
Meanwhile, our St. Johns County Tourist Development Council and its clubby contractor, the St Johns County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Inc. have spent tens of millions of dollars on "touurist development," wasting our bed tax money.
On what exactly?
Inflated salaries?
Contracts?
Advertising in Reader's Digest and Better Homes and Gardens?
Meanwhile, with one two-day concert, our City of St. Augustine has done more to effect friend-raising than $30 million in TDC/VCB waste, fraud, abuse, misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, secrecy, sloth and silliness.
The Mumford & Sons Concert promises to build our "brand" among young, cool hip people. Environmental and historic tourists spend twice as much and stay twice as long as the credulous Reader's Digest readers preferred by Virginia Whetstone's Visitor and Convention Bureau.
The VCB contract must be rebid.
The VCB must records must be open to public inspection.
VCB must cease and desist from racism and homophobia.
TDC must adverise our strengths.
TDC's contractor (whoever it is) must never again discuss pricing in its meetings again.
TDC must focus like a laser beam on the St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore. www.staugustgreen.com
It's our time, our town and our bed tax money -- spend it wisely or not at all.
What do you reckon?