Mariposa County Historic Courthouse
June 11, 2015 - At the Tuesday, June 9, 2015 Mariposa County Board of Supervisors meeting the Board received a presentation by Terry Selk, Executive Director of the Yosemite-Mariposa County Tourism Bureau.
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The following are excerpts from the meeting.
Mr. Selk said the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the $100K that was withheld from the tourism bureau during this fiscal year.
Mr. Selk said tourism impacts to the community are responsible for $400M in destination spending, 4,500 jobs, $18M in local tax receipts and about 50% of the Mariposa County General Fund revenue.
He said the previous funding of $500k represents just 2% of the General Fund and at the current level that percentage drops to 1.6%. Comparing to other counties: Tuolumne County receives 25%, Calaveras 33% and North Lake Tahoe 60%.
The county gets a $22 return for every $1 dollar in support of tourism.
He said we are competing against the world not just Northern California. The states tourism budget has doubled from $50M to $100M.
Mr. Selk said the tourism bureau promotes Mariposa County not just Yosemite.
Mr. Selk said tourism creates jobs and in Mariposa County tourism is the only job development in the economic stimulus sector.
If the tourism bureau does not receive the $100k the bureau will have difficulty in retaining its global marketing campaigns and could have to make some difficult decisions involving some existing contracts and commitments such as Townsend Public Affairs, local event sponsorship, hosting of travel trade and media, etc.
Mariposa County Sheriff/Fire Chief Doug Binnewies said tourism is our revenue source. He said Public Safety has gotten beat up over the past several years. The Sheriff urged the Board to come up with a formula when they are looking at more tourism and getting more people to visit the county to get the Sheriff Department back to full strength. The Sheriff said he needs the positions back and we need more cops on the street.
Kevin Shelton, Vice-President Yosemite Management Group said the current tourism bureau is as strong as it has ever been. He requests the full funding to be restored.
Barry Brouillette said he would like to see the $100K restored and increased by $15K for inflation.
Supervisor John Carrier said there was a TOT increase on the ballot but the residents did not support it. He asked Terry Selk if tourism has looked at raising the TBID (The tourism 1% they currently charge in TOT tax)? Mr. Selk said the board has looked at that and is hesitant at this time because the lodging community said it would put them in a less competitive position with the surrounding areas.
Mr. Selk said the TOT is up $1.2M and every month has been a record month.
Supervisor Kevin Cann said the CAO has requested this $100K request item come back before the Board in July to be voted on for next years budget. Supervisor Cann said it is incomprehensible to him that the Board would cut the TOT goose.
Supervisor Cann said the county is going to get a drastic cut in road maintenance funds from California. He said the Mariposa County residents in the near future may want to look at another potential TOT tax increase that would direct 50% to Public Safety and 50% to roads.
The Supervisors recommended the CAO bring this back in July for a vote. The CAO will bring back a contract amendment increasing the contract by $100K.
Mr. Selk said the tourism Board of Directors has entertained a request from Mariposa County EDC for $20k to support a 50% cost for a feasibility study for the Conference Center.
