INC NEWS - We should use hotel tax for marketing Durham (Herald-Sun letter)

[Caleb Southern]

Resources for crime prevention and appearance (litter, mowing, weedy lots,
etc.), among other important issues discussed in INC, are absolutely
critical for Durham.

I believe that Durham's reputation and image are also victims of 'deferred
maintenance'. This letter points out a source of additional local revenue,
which could help fund many of the programs INC supports.

Caleb Southern

***



We should use hotel tax for marketing Durham
Herald-Sun letter
 
In "Durham's Bad Reputation" [Letters, June 6], Doug Melton points out how
our great city's negative image has spread across the country. 

Part of the answer to countering our "bad reputation" is marketing and
promotion. We need to tell the positive story about all the things that make
Durham great. There is a way -- which will also save taxpayers tons of money
-- but elected officials refuse to do it. 

We have a hotel occupancy tax that is supposed to pay for marketing and
promotion of Durham. The N.C. General Assembly intended this special tax to
attract visitors, whose spending would generate at least $11 million a year
in additional local tax revenue. Asheville, which has no image problem,
spends 100 percent of its hotel tax on marketing. Perhaps you have seen
their national TV spots. 

Our elected officials have opted to divert $3.36 million of the hotel tax
into the general funds each year, and another $1.4 million annually into the
proposed downtown theater. 

Our City Council and County Commissioners are penny-wise and pound-foolish.
That $11 million of annual revenue is the equivalent of 7.1 cents on the
city, or 5.5 cents on the county, property tax rate. Meanwhile the county is
proposing a 2.9-cent property tax hike this year, and the city is
considering an additional 3-cent increase. 

City Council and County Commissioners to should act in the public interest.
Instead of raising taxes, they should let the Visitors Bureau invest the
hotel tax in marketing and promotion for Durham -- which will save the
taxpayers money and improve Durham's undeserved negative reputation. 



CALEB SOUTHERN
DURHAM
June 14, 2005 


***

Durham's bad reputation
Herald-Sun letter

I returned recently after a month in the Harrisburg, Pa. area on business.
I'd almost forgotten how homesick a person could get for his family and
hometown. But I wanted to share what I heard and saw in Harrisburg, since it
is about the same population as Durham. 

Not once did I hear anything of a murder, armed robbery, or gang activity in
the Harrisburg area. The downtowns were vibrant and alive in all the towns I
visited. Rarely did I see police cruisers. In fact, in Carlisle, the only
police cruiser I saw was parked at a restaurant. 

I speak with a noticeable Southern accent, so a lot of people asked me where
I was from. At least a half dozen times, when I would say I was from Durham,
the response was something like, "I hear there is a lot of crime there." A
couple of comments were regarding North Carolina's lack of a lottery. 

Why is it that Durham can't get its act together? With all the resources we
have, why can't Durham shake its "bad town" image, even as far away as
Pennsylvania? 

I get back to Durham and sit down on my sofa to catch up on the news, and
what do I hear? We had cross burnings the night before, and a gang of youths
murdered another storeowner a week ago. We have major problems here and we
definitely need help! Shame on us all! 


DOUG MELTON
DURHAM
June 6, 2005