By LEAH STRATMANN
At the last meeting of the South Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC), County Commissioner Scott Brannon was on hand to tell the council the Board of County Commissioners had passed the ordinance authorizing the half-cent increase in bed tax specifically for the purpose of luring a low-cost airline to the new airport in Panama City. “There is a lot of stuff going on in Walton County right now, but I think the half-cent increase shows the unanimous support of the BCC to the TDC,” Brannon said.
“Hopefully we will be able to bring home some good news in a few months. I can’t say more, but it looks good,” commented TDC executive director Sonny Mares.
The financial report showed that while tourist activity remains about the same, revenues are down 3.8 percent over last year, but Walton County’s losses are below those of surrounding Okaloosa and Bay counties, according to treasurer Mary Brown. “The rolling quarter percentages are down 7.13 percent,” she said.
Money was much on the minds of council members as they listened to a report from Jeff Shusterman of Majority Opinion Research who attempts to keep his finger on the pulse of area visitors…..
Read the full story in the August 27, 2009 edition of the Herald Breeze.