We saw it again. And it was another demonstration of why quality of life in Orange County isn’t improving for many of its residents.
This afternoon the Orange County Mayor, fueled by special interest campaign checks and a distorted view of what’s occurring with the struggling families in our communities, rammed through the recommendations of an Orange County Tourism Development Tax Task Force that faced serious allegations of being rigged (story HERE).
There was a strong effort by some of our County Commissioners to clarify that these recommendations were being acknowledged and not accepted. But just like sales tax that was soundly rejected by the public last year, this measure was also forced through despite the objections of the leaders you elected.
Recommendations that included..
A roof for our stadium that was just awarded the NFL Pro Bowl, despite their presentations that threatened our competitiveness if we didn’t give them more money.
A presentation from UCF for an Athletic Village that is already going to happen.
And finally, a convention center where many of their biggest fans are managers in an Orlando hotel industry that doesn’t even pay their families enough to afford their rent.
Now, it’s important that we monitor the narrative over the next month or so.
None of the projects have been approved. This was just acknowledging the information being provided.
But that’s not what we’re going to be hearing from a lot of the groups that were asking for money. All of them employ professional lobbyists that have been getting your money for years. They’re going to be keep pushing for more.
And to close. Let’s not forget that the Tourism Development Tax only happens because of us. We clean those hotels. We cook in those restaurants. We do the landscaping on those properties.
You deserve a say over where that money goes.
Happy some fought 4 transparency. Please remain mindful of the narrative. Yes, we must reevaluate our marketing and still push in Tally for improvement #Orlando #UnbelievablyReal @OCFLMayor @NicoleWilsonD1 @cmoorefororange @MayraUribeD3 @OCFLDistrict4 @Comm_Bonilla @mymikescott pic.twitter.com/nOyLg7qt6j
— Frank Torres (@MrFrankTorres) July 25, 2023