McComb officials said they’ll try to seek the reinstatement of an expired 3 percent tax on hotel rooms to continue operations in the city’s tourism department.
Community Relations and Tourism director Tasha Dillon told selectmen at Tuesday’s work session that her department needs $45,000 to continue operating through the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
The funds would allow the department to retain its part-time help and maintain established local partnerships, Dillon said.
Officials said a $2.5 million bond issue the city is considering to keep its own operations afloat could include funds to keep the tourism department solvent through the end of the fiscal year.
Dillon said the department has enough funds to last it through “mid-summer.”
She made her funding request after giving a presentation highlighting the department’s accomplishments since its creation in 2007.
Dillon closed the presentation with information from a state report she said was released Tuesday and estimated visitors to Pike County spent $30.4 million in fiscal year 2008-’09. It also estimated tourism generated some $2.35 million in state and local tax revenues in 2008-’09.
“Tasha has done a wonderful job as director of the tourism department,” city administrator Quordiniah Lockley said before informing the board that the final funds from the hotel tax will be received next month.
The rest of the board also complimented Dillon on the job she has done, and discussion turned to the resurrection of the hotel tax.
The tourism department is funded by the 3 percent tax that began in 2005 and expired last month.
The state Legislature did not renew the tax after two lawmakers, Rep. David Myers, D-McComb, and Rep. Sam Mims, R-McComb, proposed diverting 40 percent of future revenues to the Pike County Economic Development District.
Both criticized the way city officials spent the money, taking aim at family reunions and other activities they claimed were put on for local residents and not visitors from out of town.
Myers and Mims have had disagreements with Mayor Zach Patterson, a key backer of Dillon, and Patterson’s supporters claimed the lawmakers’ move was based on a political vendetta.
At the time, Mims said it was “unfortunate” that the tax bill expired, but its demise was the result of “a difference of opinion as to what constitutes tourism.”
Dillon attempted to clear the air on accusations against the department’s activities.
“The department never had a family reunion or church event,” she said.
Dillon also said her assistant works 15 hours a week, and she is looking for funding sources to reimburse her hours.
“At a point, the city needs to try to regain the funds through the tax from the state,” Selectman E.C. Nobles said. “They didn’t think we were spending it right. McComb is being promoted. We have to find a common ground.”
Lockley said he will visit with area lawmakers in Jackson before the next board meeting on Feb. 9 to discuss renewing the tax, which would require the introduction of a new bill that must be signed into law and backed by a referendum.
When reached by phone this morning, Mims said the legislature’s focus is on balancing the state budget, and likely will not shift from that.
He said he has not received correspondence from Lockley or Dillon on the proposed visit. He also said he has not seen the report Dillon cited and still has questions about the department’s focus and expenditures.
“To me, tourism means bringing people from outside the city, outside the county to this region of Mississippi,” Mims said. “Spending monies on local people is not tourism. If you’re living in the city of McComb and Pike County, having money spent on you is not tourism.
“Until that changes, I simply don’t see extending the tax.”
Sen. Kelvin Butler, D-Magnolia, chairman of the Senate Local and Private Committee, a key committee involved with local tax legislation, said that if the city board approves and supports a resolution to renew the tax, then he will support it.
“They have to be in total agreement on it,” Butler said. “If they send a resolution up here, I’ll go along with it.
“It’s about getting folks into Pike County to spend money. That’s important to me, that we promote southwest Mississippi. That’s new money coming in.”
Myers could not be reached for comment this morning.
