Ranzenhofer Seeks To Dedicate Funding to Convention and Visitors Bureau

A RESOLUTION SUBMITTED BY LEGISLATOR MILLS, RANZENHOFER & WEINSTEIN

RE: Providing the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau with a dedicated funding stream

WHEREAS, More than two decades ago an act of the Erie County Legislature established the Hotel Occupancy Tax, or the "Bed Tax," which created a dedicated funding source for the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) for the purposes of marketing and promoting our area to travelers, conventions, and businesses, and

WHEREAS, The Hotel Occupancy Tax generates approximately $6 million per year which providing the CVB the resources to increase tourism in this area that generates $150 million in hotel revenues annually, $650 million in direct visitor spending, more than $50 million in sales tax revenue, and 15,000 jobs, and

WHEREAS, During the height of Erie County's fiscal crisis, in 2005, the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau lost a significant amount of their dedicated funding as Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue was diverted to the general fund for the purposes of funding countywide operational expenses, and

WHEREAS, Regions similar in size, such as Pittsburgh, Louisville, and Indianapolis, each had tourism budgets in excess of $9 million in 2005, while our local CVB had a budget of $1.7 million, and

WHEREAS, In order for Western New York to compete with other cities in attracting tourism and convention dollars they must be funded properly, and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, that this honorable body officially dedicates 100% of the Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue to the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau beginning April 1, 2008, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Legislature forward certified copies of this resolution to Erie County Executive Joel A. Giambra, the Budget Director, the President and Chairman of the Board for the CVB, and members of the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority.

Fiscal Impact: Positive for Erie County

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