Editorial
Tourism Competition
Taxpayers should be apprehensive of the present public sector trend of offering government operated activities that compete with the private sector. Public government bodies wishing to offer out of town travelers with items traditionally provided by the private sector such as food, gifts, entertainment and/or lodging clearly undermine the local economy. In doing so entrepreneurship is discouraged, limiting local development opportunities and local business leaders should take notice.
Understandable, not for profit groups often seek additional sources of funding from the sale of items. Public Governmental Bodies should be more aware that it becomes more difficult for the private sector to compete in tourism when space rental goes for other purposes than reducing the line item appropriation for upkeep and maintenance. Public facilities should entice large conventions and seminars not easily accommodated by private facilities. But when the public sector offers small groups rental accommodations that compete with the local hospitality market it’s wrongly sheltered within public facilities paying no property tax and administered with public funds.
I hope more citizens would begin questioning the logic of placing the public sector in competition with private businesses or that the SMEAA land will be lost if taken over by someone else. If that is possible the attorney for the board should be fired. Instead governmental bodies should focus on rejuvenating neighborhood properties outside the overdone present Downtown TIF District. Much more needs to be done to support the efforts of individuals interested in historic preservation in order to revitalize the central city. That type of effort will provide a better opportunity to revitalize areas of the city that missed out on the current Historic or TIF District incentives. Let the Abraham Lincoln Museum help direct tourist beyond the direction of the Abraham Lincoln Hotel and let’s have its operation be without government attachments.