Tourist Development Council recommends phase out of tourist tax funding for county-owned museums

Collier County's tourism advisory board wants to ween county-owned museums off the tourist tax to make more tax dollars available for tourism marketing. 

At its monthly meeting Monday, the Tourist Development Council voted 8-1 to recommend that county commissioners cap the funding for museums next year, then cut it by 25 percent a year until it reaches zero in five years.

The starting amount for funding would be set at $1.85 million for fiscal 2018. As reductions are made to the museum fund, the dollars would shift to marketing. 

The recommendation comes as county commissioners are expected to vote Tuesday on a proposal to spend $2.5 million more a year in tourist taxes on replenishing and protecting county beaches.

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If approved as is, that plan would reduce the annual budget for destination marketing by about $1 million.

Jack Wert, Collier County's tourism director, welcomed the council's vote Monday, though it wouldn't immediately restore the money that would be lost for destination marketing. 

"We would still be behind," he said. "It certainly would be a help, but it would still put us behind where we are." 

Council members said they supported the county-owned museums but that they shouldn't get tourist tax dollars to support their operations. That money, they argued, should come from the general fund. 

Councilman Clark Hill, general manager of the Hilton Naples, said it's important to preserve the image and brand the county has built over the years and that he's worried that will be jeopardized if the county's marketing budget is cut so drastically.

"I fear that we won't have the funding to keep that brand alive," he said. "So it's a matter of allocation."

Councilwoman Nancy Kerns said she didn't think it would be such a hardship on county-owned museums, which should have the ability to support themselves.

"Come on, folks; they can do this," she said. "They've got wonderful facilities, and they can be self-sustaining." 

Councilman Dan Sullivan made the motion to recommend the phase out of the museum funding for operations, which included the suggestion that they be allowed to apply for tourist tax grants to promote events, just as the noncounty-owned museums do.

Councilman Victor Rios, also a Marco Island councilman, voted against the motion, saying it was a lot of money to give only to marketing.

He said he would like to see some of those dollars go to beaches, even though beaches are already getting a bigger chunk of the money with the plan going before commissioners Tuesday.

"The main attraction here is still the beaches," he said. "That's No. 1."

The tourist tax — collected on overnight hotel stays and other vacation rentals — is expected to raise about $26.25 million next year. County-owned museums had been receiving about $2.5 million a year.

Commissioners recently voted to increase the tourist tax from 4 to 5 percent, which is expected to generate another $1.5 million for the county's beaches next year.