Amador County – The Jackson City Council voted 3-1 to diverge from a committee recommendation and give the bulk of its Transient Occupancy Tax promotions funding to the Jackson Business and Community Association, with the intent to keep in the city the tax money that was collected on room rental in Jackson. All five applicant groups, however, did receive some funding.
City Manager Mike Daly said the TOT tax, as set by a 2002 resolution puts 2 percent of the tax toward “business promotion, economic development, and downtown revitalization.” Last year the city placed $30,000 of that toward economic development. The Measure E Advisory Committee, San Lukowicz, Paul Molinelli Jr., Tom Peyton, and Keith Sweet met last week to review this year’s proposals. (Atul Patel was absent).
Daly said five requests from local groups sought a total of $41,500, and the committee recommended putting $30,000 toward the requests, and keeping $27,000 for economic development.
Vice Mayor Keith Sweet said the committee unanimously voted to recommend Daly’s recommendation, giving $12,000 to Jackson Business and Community Association; $6,000 each to Amador Council of Tourism and Amador Chamber of Commerce; $3,500 to Amador County Arts Council (now called Amador Arts); and $2,500 to Main Street Theatre Works.
Sweet motioned to approve that, but it failed in a vote, with Sweet and Mayor Connie Gonsalves voting yes, and Councilmen Pat Crew and Wayne Garibaldi dissenting.
Crew said the “fundamental conflict” at the Measure E Committee meeting was that the “money was raised in Jackson and the bulk of the money should stay in Jackson.” He asked Sweet if that was a fair statement, and Sweet agreed. Sweet said it was the first time that the Measure E Committee “actually debated with the members of organizations in attendance.”
Crew said the “Revitalization Committee supports us, and the Chamber has other funding resources that we don’t.” Crew said “all of these groups do a great job, and I support them all myself, but only one of them has Jackson in its name.”
He recommended an alternative distribution of the funds, giving $14,000 to the JBCA; $7,000 to the Tourism Council; $4,000 to the Chamber; and $2,500 each to Amador Arts and Main Street Theatre. The council voted 3-1 to make that distribution, with Sweet dissenting, and Councilwoman Marilyn Lewis absent.
Daly said the $26,737 to be used for economic development could address projects in need of funding such as the “creek walk project, the façade improvement grant program, the gateway sign project and placement of plaques on downtown buildings with historical information for visitors.”
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
