NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE ISSUE? - Gaylan's Corner! - Opinions, comments and Notes from the field - by Gaylan King - BED TAX/CONFERENCE CENTER HISTORY OF EVENTS - The Freedom Committee's goal is to repeal county ordinance 89-23 that has spawned the Tourist Development Counsel (TDC) and bed tax (increase), and is also designed to fund the proposed conference center.  The TDC was created with this ordinance and therefore, by law, will be disbanded with OR 89-23's repeal. In order to do this, a referendum must come to a vote before the people. There are four major areas on this website that are designed to do four things: 1. Present the FACTS supporting our case that the Conference Center will be a financial burden to the taxpayers of Okaloosa County. 2. Provide a HISTORY of the entire Bed Tax increase/Conference Center and give an historical scope to the issue. 3. To present OUR POINT OF VIEW as an opponent of the Bed Tax Increase/Conference Center and it's supporters. 4. To provide a FORUM in which others can share their point of view.

Tourist Development Council - The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight - Monday Oct. 11, I'm sure many of you saw the TDC's 'half page in Sunday's NWFDN.  Notice that it's couched in statements such as, "The Facts", and  "the rest of the story." They never fail to imply that they are the Keeper of the Truth, and that we don't just disagree with them but lie, withhold vital information, and distort the facts. I smiled as I thought about those of you who've actually studied the issue and the negative effect of such statements to knowledgeable citizens.

There are several statements in their advertisement that beg discussion. It would be nice to know who paid for it and out of which money pot.  "Yes" buttons again, anyone? The public beach accesses, referred to in paragraph 1, appear to be overly expensive monuments to the TDC. The last one of these $292,000 projects, more excess than access, cut the number of parking places from 50 to about 28; I went there and counted.

This access program is also political (Surprise!) and serves friends of the TDC. I illustrate this by their acknowledgment that the next $292,000 will be spent for the folks building Silver Shells, east of Destin. These are the guys who took Old 98 from us a second time (shame on us!). See elsewhere on this site, how the Silver Shells thugs have raped the dune system where millions were spent for restoration after Opal's destruction. This "public" access will be behind one of the Silver Shells gates, and the public will be discouraged from using it. There are many places where this money could be used to truly offer more public beach access.  Holiday Isle has several walkovers where there is no parking at all.

In paragraph 2, they say, "the needs of the community and goals… are continuously updated." If you'll read CO 89-23, you'll see that this statement can not be true, that the TDC literally has no way to do that.  This legal constraint, in fact, is their major problem and the very reason we must dissolve the TDC, change the state and county laws, and put the issue before the whole county via referendum, not just a gerrymandered special district. Otherwise, they'll continue to do the wrong job forever. Understand, the law prohibits change to their current goals without dissolution, and they fear a referendum for the obvious reason.

Paragraph 3 assures us that we'll never be taxed for an unsuccessful Conference Center. Since Okaloosa County will be responsible for the bond debt, will the county declare bankruptcy in the face of a natural or man-made disaster, before it goes to the taxpayers for relief?  I don't think so.

Paragraph 4 neglects to mention that the BOCC just authorized the first $100,000 in expenditures for the Conference Center. It also mentions the many public meetings at which they've completely ignored our constant demands to kill the project or put it to referendum before the whole county. I suspect these disingenuous comments will anger many people who know the facts. 

Paragraph 5 is the embodiment of their normal doom and gloom threats to our well being should we decide to end the TDC.  I suggest that policy of never having enough tourism and the accompanying uncontrolled growth will cause our home to become a "condo ghetto".  I drove from Crystal Beach to the Crab Trap last Saturday, and was amazed at the number of expensive homes showing "For Sale" signs. Everyone one of them had been built when you could still see the water across Hwy 98, had easy beach access, and no all-day bumper-to-bumper traffic.

The TDC just doesn't get it;  it's time for them to polish up their resumes!

Cheers!
Gaylan

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