Opinion: Downtown St. Augustine residents must have a voice in the tourism plan

Opinion: Downtown St. Augustine residents must have a voice in the tourism plan



By PHILIP McDANIEL
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 05/03/09

In response to the April 26 editorial, "Tourism assessment lacks broad views," on the new tourism plan, I wish to add one more group that is perhaps the most important stakeholder of all: The residents of the historic district.

Florida law required a local option tourist tax (bed tax) be approved by voters. Since 1977, tourism interests worked to pass a bed tax to garner free advertising dollars for their businesses. On three ballots (1978-1985) they tried and each time voters said "no'' to tourism. Voters knew then, as today, that unbridled advertising brings too many tourists.

It was not until 1986 when community, cultural and recreation groups worked together to pass County Ordinance 1986-72, an improved bed tax that limits 40 percent for advertising and 60 percent for combined "Cultural, Leisure and Recreational Development." Since 1986, the county has collected $70 million to promote tourism. Projections for the next 20 years call for $175 million. According to a University of Florida study, we host six million visitors, annually. The study affirms the cause of our traffic headaches every weekend.

So, as we look forward, we must ask: What do we want? More advertising? More visitors? More cars? The 450th celebration may be a good idea, but it could bring millions of additional visitors to the historic district. While cash registers may ring, residents could lose our quality of life.

The St. Johns Board of County Commissioners must remind the consultants that it was voters who first gave the tourism industry permission to collect bed taxes. Therefore, affected residents must have a strong voice in the planning process.

Tourists come and go. Many tourist business owners live outside the historic district. Yet, we who live downtown will have to live with whatever whiz-bang plan the consultants and tourism owners come up with.

Residents, stand up be heard. Work towards a healthy balance through a creative approach to tourism development while retaining our residential tranquility/quality of life.

Our future depends on it.

Philip McDaniel is a 15-year resident of downtown St. Augustine. He is the immediate past president of St. Johns Cultural Council, the local arts agency for St. Augustine and St. Johns County. He was one of the co-founders of Project S.W.I.N.G. and also spearheaded the creation of the new Hamilton Upchurch Neighborhood Park. He like to hear readers' ideas on what the new tourism plan should include (or exclude). Contact him on weekdays. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (904) 806-1440 or anytime via e-mail at philip@mcdaniel.net.

Click here to return to story:
http://staugustine.com/stories/050309/opinions_050309_030.shtml

© The St. Augustine Record