Recently a bill passed the state legislature that made major changes to the law that set up the board of directors for the “tourism community enhancement district.” This is the board that will make the determination “if” and “when” a one percent retail tax, to be used solely for the marketing of Branson, will be submitted to the voters of the district for their approval. If the tax is approved, it is also the body that will control how the tax will be used to do that marketing.
One of the problems that caused the need to change the original legislation was the fact that, under its provisions, the board was not appointed by elected public officials, city board of aldermen, county commission, etc. Indeed a majority of the five person board, three, was appointed by the Indian Point and Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.
It is a testament to the changes that have taken place at The Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce over the past few years that it was instrumental in getting these changes through the legislature.
“Ah Seagull, just what was the ‘testament?'”
“Flexibility, trust, openness, the willingness to get in there and work for the changes even though they knew that they could work against their own economic interests.”
“Oh come on Seagull, everyone knows that if the tax is passed the Chamber is the one that is going to get the contract.”
“Then ‘everyone,’ although not too hard to do, knows more than the Ole Seagull because he simply doesn’t believe it.”
“Well the Chamber got the city contract for marketing didn’t they?”
“That they did and, in an Ole Seagulls opinion, they did it ‘the old fashioned way, they earned it.'”
In the final analysis, an Ole Seagull believes that the districts board will do the same thing that the Branson Board of Aldermen did, try to select the best organization that they can to market Branson. That is assuming that the tax passes and for that to happen, in an Ole Seagull’s opinion two things could be done to increase the chances of that happening.
First, immediately after placing the tax on the ballot all those members of the tourism community enhancement district’s board who were appointed by either the Branson Lakes Area or Indian Point Chamber of Commerce should resign. This will enable the provisions of the new law relating to elected governmental bodies appointing the board to become fully effective prior to the voters voting on the tax. The end result will be a seven person board that is totally appointed by such officials consisting of three members appointed by the City of
Under the transitional provisions of the new law, without the above action, the three board members who were appointed by either the Branson Lakes Area or Indian Point Chamber of Commerce would remain on the board until their existing terms expire. In most cases their terms would not expire until after the tax election and the award of the initial marketing contract. In terms of the rationale for having the board composition changed it’s kind of like closing the barn door after the horses have escaped. The proposed suggestion eliminates that problem.
Second, and, in the opinion of an Ole Seagull, of even more importance, the tourism community enhancement district’s board and the City of Branson should enter into an agreement, well prior to the election, providing that the they will work together to insure that the taxes collected to market and promote tourism from the district’s tax and the city’s tax are combined to market Branson under one cohesive plan. Currently the city could take the $2 million plus that they raise to market and promote tourism and use it for those purposes in what ever manner it determines.
“Could they use it to market Branson Landing and the Convention Center?”
“Sure they could.”
“Do you think that they would actually do that?”
“Not for a minute but there might be just enough voters out there who would believe it to make eliminating the problem worth considering.”
