Larry Griffin
Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said at a news conference Friday following the State of the County that the ongoing Tourist Development Tax spending controversy will be taken before the Board of County Commissioners for a workshop.
“At the end of the day, it’s the board that makes any final decision about expenditures,” she said. “We have some very real and significant concerns about the fact that it’s not financially viable as it stands.”
She said the workshop would walk through what the county is currently committed to and how the proposed TDT plan would fit into that.
Jacobs has recently been involved in a controversy over the tourist development tax. On Feb. 23, the Orange County Charter Review Commission approved language for a charter amendment to create a Tourist Development Tax application and evaluation process.
A proposed plan from the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association would spend some of the tourist development tax money on several things: expansion of the Orange County Convention Center, tourism marketing and the next phase of construction for the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center.
CFHLA President Rich Maladecki declined to give a presentation about the plan at an April 8 Tourist Development Council meeting, saying he believed it was time to go forward with the proposal and take action, rather than discussing it. Jacobs criticized him for that, saying she wanted more of a chance to review and analyze what they would be spending.
