"Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it." I tell my kids that all the time. It's a fact of life. Today I saw the council forget those words of wisdom when it came to handing out $60,000 in unbudgeted money.
Now to be fair I want to start from the beginning. We are talking about hotel sales tax, which came in way higher last year than predicted. The additional hotels and the consistent high occupancy has created a surplus that is limited in how it can be spent (it can not go to general funds and spent).
In the past, request for those funds would have gone through and been approved by the Tourism committee. A year or so ago, the rules were changed a bit that a secondary approval had to be made if anything exceeded a certain amount (I believe $2000...though I could be off here).
But tonight council considered and approved $60,000 worth of funding that never went to the tourism committee. $45,000 to the Chamber of Commerce, $15,000 to the Crystal Theater. They did this even after the committee chair informed the council that they had circumvented his committee, and that he felt like this was a bad precedence. He was right.
So looking at the documentation provided the city now will pay for 50% of the Crystal Theaters expenses. We're paying 75% of a new float. If I read it right we're paying 100% of the renovations for the kitchen and Chamber (Old Jail House) work. By the way did I mention this building isn't even owned by the City of Gonzales?
The Chamber said at council meeting tonight that they can't get any funds from anyone in town. Hmmmmm, think maybe the 15+ years of poor management are coming back to bite you in the ass? I know this is a total new administrative team in there, but for the record we've been paying a minimum of $10,000 a year for very little return on our investment at the Chamber. There was a time it helped the businesses of Gonzales, but that's been a long time ago, and the fact the Chamber board refused to make changes for so many years is the reason they are where they are today, begging for scraps. Want my support, then let's see changes at the Come and Take It where we are truly bringing in outsiders and not just family that is coming in, you know like our surrounding communities do. Let's see tourism planned and worked in a positive manner, not a put out a bucket and let's see what might fall into if attitude.
The Chamber can be a very positive force for a pro Gonzales rally, and maybe the new team down there will succeed in getting those things done, but there has to be actions and not just words like we've heard for so long. And until that action starts, and the train is moving, it would be a tough call to give them a plug nickel.
Look, in the long run maybe the city should of approved all $60,000, but they should of sent ever single nickle back to committee for approval FIRST. That's what that committee is for. If not than disband the Tourism committee. Personally you'd of seen my resignation tomorrow morning if I was on the Tourism committee and was slapped in the face like they were tonight. Just because the council COULD approve those funds doesn't mean they should of.
God Bless,
Dennis
PS - Other budgeting and spending coming soon.
