Earlier this year, the Watauga County TDA turned down a $75,000 FHA grant for canoe and kayak launches. The vote was actually split 2-2 with one member absent. Those opposing the concept voted as most people paying from their own pockets would have, fearing the $18,750 match was a budget breaker, not to mention ongoing maintenance costs.
Now, a nonprofit known as Green Valley Park would like to pick up the match. Considering the offer, the TDA discussion included what looks like a weird attempt to follow the money.
During later discussion in the TDA meeting, some board members indicated they weren’t certain whether such recreation-focused projects were valuable in promoting and improving tourism overall.
“I don’t think it’s been proven,” [TDA board member Connie] Baird said, saying taxpayers ought to vote on whether they wanted their money to maintain recreational initiatives.
[Board member Kim] Rogers countered that TDA money comes from the occupancy tax, so “the ones who paid this tax don’t live here.”
The FHA funding, of course, was only one of a million cuts on the same finger, so who cares.
