On October 17th, the a public forum was held at The Barn to inform the public as to the sources of revenue that, should the issue pass, the A&P Commission would access in order to fund activities such as advertising for Holiday Island, sponsoring events like the BBQ Cook off, Antique Car Show, July 4th fireworks and picnic, and other events that would not only bring in tourists (potential home buyers) but also for the locals to enjoy. It is my understanding that the discussion got quite heated and centered more on the persistent notion that the city is planning on building tiny homes and low income housing.
I have addressed tiny homes and low income housing before. The city has no plans for either whatsoever other than to follow the city zoning ordinances and the law. We will do everything legally possible to protect property values.
The A&P tax revenue would save HISID $20,000+ annually which is what they have traditionally budgeted for advertising. The city would take over that responsibility and since nearly 100% of the A&P tax is paid by visitors, there would be little to no offsetting expense to the property owners. That frees up money for HISID to use for the Fire Department or other infrastructure maintenance. We need these types of cost savings.
Which ever way you end up voting, make sure you are deciding for the right reasons. The A&P tax has nothing to do with what type of housing gets built in Holiday Island. Period.
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