By Josh O’Gorman
STAFF WRITER | November 19,2013
STAFF WRITER | November 19,2013
KILLINGTON — The Select Board has sent a
letter to the state seeking education finance reform and increased
spending to promote tourism.
In a Nov. 5 letter to Lisa Gosselin, commissioner of the state Department of Economic Development, the board cites the state’s education funding formula as a drag on the state’s economy.
“We believe Vermont’s current education funding system is inhibiting the growth of tourism communities which are the primary drivers of our state’s economy,” states the letter signed by board members Chris Bianchi, Bernard Rome and Patty McGrath.
Citing a 345 percent increase in property taxes for Killington Resort from 1996 to 2012, the letter asserts the taxes inhibit the ability of a business to spend money on capital improvements or marketing.
In calling for increased spending to promote tourism, the letter states “(w)e understand that Vermont Tourism is getting outpaced by states that represent our biggest competition and compete in the same markets.”
Gosselin declined to address Killington’s call for education funding reform but did discuss tourism.
“When we hear ‘outpaced,’ we’re talking about being outspent, as we are in every aspect of government spending,” Gosselin said.
Vermont is outspent by the states the Killington Select Board identifies in its letter as “our biggest competition”: New York, New Hampshire, Maine, Colorado and Utah.
According to Jen Butson, communications director with the state Department of Tourism and Marketing, this year the state will spend $2.2 million on out-of-state advertising. The majority of that advertising is domestic, with international advertising through Discover New England, a collaborative of the six New England states, focused on international tourism marketing.
These are the 2012-13 tourism budgets of Vermont’s “competition,” according to the U.S. Travel Association:
New York: $19.1 million
New Hampshire: $6.9 million
Maine: $9.8 million
Colorado: $14.7 million
Utah: $14.4 million.
Vermont’s tourism budget was $2.9 million during the 2012-13 fiscal year, ranking it 44th out of the 48 states that responded. Only Delaware, Indiana, Iowa and Rhode Island spent less.
Gosselin suggested the number of tourist visits, not the amount spent to bring them to Vermont, is a better measure of the health of tourism in the state.
“I think if you look at tourism data, you’ll see Vermont is doing very well,” Gosselin said.
According to the Vermont Ski Areas Association, last winter the state had its best ski season in a decade, drawing 4.5 million visitors. It was dramatic upswing from the previous winter of 3.9 million visitors. During the past 10 years, annual ski visits have averaged 4.2 million.
josh.ogorman
@rutlandherald.com
In a Nov. 5 letter to Lisa Gosselin, commissioner of the state Department of Economic Development, the board cites the state’s education funding formula as a drag on the state’s economy.
“We believe Vermont’s current education funding system is inhibiting the growth of tourism communities which are the primary drivers of our state’s economy,” states the letter signed by board members Chris Bianchi, Bernard Rome and Patty McGrath.
Citing a 345 percent increase in property taxes for Killington Resort from 1996 to 2012, the letter asserts the taxes inhibit the ability of a business to spend money on capital improvements or marketing.
In calling for increased spending to promote tourism, the letter states “(w)e understand that Vermont Tourism is getting outpaced by states that represent our biggest competition and compete in the same markets.”
Gosselin declined to address Killington’s call for education funding reform but did discuss tourism.
“When we hear ‘outpaced,’ we’re talking about being outspent, as we are in every aspect of government spending,” Gosselin said.
Vermont is outspent by the states the Killington Select Board identifies in its letter as “our biggest competition”: New York, New Hampshire, Maine, Colorado and Utah.
According to Jen Butson, communications director with the state Department of Tourism and Marketing, this year the state will spend $2.2 million on out-of-state advertising. The majority of that advertising is domestic, with international advertising through Discover New England, a collaborative of the six New England states, focused on international tourism marketing.
These are the 2012-13 tourism budgets of Vermont’s “competition,” according to the U.S. Travel Association:
New York: $19.1 million
New Hampshire: $6.9 million
Maine: $9.8 million
Colorado: $14.7 million
Utah: $14.4 million.
Vermont’s tourism budget was $2.9 million during the 2012-13 fiscal year, ranking it 44th out of the 48 states that responded. Only Delaware, Indiana, Iowa and Rhode Island spent less.
Gosselin suggested the number of tourist visits, not the amount spent to bring them to Vermont, is a better measure of the health of tourism in the state.
“I think if you look at tourism data, you’ll see Vermont is doing very well,” Gosselin said.
According to the Vermont Ski Areas Association, last winter the state had its best ski season in a decade, drawing 4.5 million visitors. It was dramatic upswing from the previous winter of 3.9 million visitors. During the past 10 years, annual ski visits have averaged 4.2 million.
josh.ogorman
@rutlandherald.com
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