Ojai surplus increases; Visitor's Bureau remains unfunded
The OVN reports today that the "city's surplus for basic services last year was much larger than previously estimated, $760,000 instead of $650,000."
City Manager Jere Kersnar, who deserves to share in the credit for righting the City of Ojai's financial position, was quoted as saying, "Looking at the long term, we continue to review ways to restore the city's reserves as quickly as possible. If we can do so ... we will be able to free up $500,000 or more in cash flow each fiscal year to meet council priorities."
Meanwhile, however, short-term expenses introduced by the City Manager include the following:
* $86,400 for an associate city planner
* $65,400 for a second "office specialist" or administrative assistant for himself
* $15,000 adjustment to planned expenses for immediate hardware upgrades
* $133,000 set aside for software purchases in the future
I've questioned the need for second assistants and outrageous software expenses in the past.
I will reiterate my open question: Where is the $50,000 reinstating the Ojai Visitor's Bureau funding?
A city that gets over 28% of its revenue from TOT (the hotel bed tax), and 16% from sales tax can't spend less than 2% of that revenue on a Visitor's Bureau?
This is a lack of vision on the part of the City Council. Period. As Kersnar stated, money is being freed up each fiscal year to meet "council priorities." One of those priorities MUST be supporting our primary source of revenue by funding a Visitor's Bureau, not undermining it.
Sue Horgan, Joe DeVito, and Rae Hanstad - you three voted to kill funding for the Visitor's Bureau in a time of financial crisis. Now that we are in a much more stable financial position, this is your opportunity to restore funding at the earliest opportunity. Steve Olson, please join Carol Smith in her continued support of the Visitor's Bureau. This is a low-cost opportunity to support the very lifeblood of Ojai with vision and foresight.
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Comments (2)
Tyler,
You should know that funding for the Visitor's Center used to be around $120,000 a year when I was Chamber President back in 2001.
The $50,000 figure was where it fell to after years of being attacked as somehow "unnecessary" to have a Visitor's Center in a town that is totally dependent on tourism for its existence. Last year it went to "zero" during the city's fiscal crisis.
Much of this antipathy goes back to the love/hate relationship Ojai has with tourism.
While we are glad that tourist dollars keep the local economy alive, few in town are willing to admit their dependence. Ojai is much like a junkie who refuses to admit it's hooked on crack.
When the Inn announced it was going to ramp down for its reconstruction, no one to my knowledge at the city took any steps to prepare the economy for a downswing.
Instead of being prepared, all that happened was a demonstration of our vulnerabilty to decreased tourist dollars.
Every one hurt.
Take away tourist dollars and there is not a single restaurant or retail store in the valley that could surive.
One of the reasons the "Stop the Trucks," fight is so important in addition to the safety and environmental concerns, is our economy. The spector of 200 or more trucks running in both directions everyday, seven days a week and 24 hours a day, has the ability to severely weaken tourism in the valley. If that goes, so goes the economy again... And the City's budget.
Thanks for bringing this issue to everyone's attention.
Comment #1 Posted by: hjs | February 23, 2007 09:08 PM
The upward turn of finances
won't last if the general fund pays for endless SLAPP
Suit appeals, and the city council needs to stop
taking bad advice from the city attorney who knows very well where his cash cow is at!
Comment #2 Posted by: anonymous | March 2, 2007 12:24 PM