Resort tax would improve community
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Editor,
I support Polson’s resort tax as a way to find money to make infrastructure improvements, create jobs, generate private business revenues and provide marketing funds to attract tourists to this beautiful city and county.
From a marketing standpoint, Polson has just about everything a tourist destination needs: the lake, golf, quaint and unique downtown, Highway 93, fast food, mom-and-pop eateries, outdoor recreation, markets, arcades, bowling, sports bars, a casino — and now, two upscale motels — the film festival, micro-breweries, cheese and the chamber’s fabulous annual events.
The one thing Polson doesn’t seem to have is money for the marketing or a focused vision on how to brand and market the city.
Having been involved with these programs before, the concept is to raise enough money to brand and market Polson to urban areas far enough away for families to drive here but too far to make it a day trip.
Tourists who stay overnight typically spend five to 10 times more money than day-trippers. So attracting Missoulians is nice, but getting folks from Helena and Spokane is better.
By applying this tax, Polson would then have the funding to tidy up pot-holed streets and have some money to contract with a marketing company to start that branding and marketing process. It also provides matching funds for grants, which can double and triple the cash needed to promote the area.
To be fair, I would love that marketing company to be mine as I hope to live out my days here in this Shangri-La.
I hope voters pass the tax to help create a vibrant local economy with a robust downtown, rising real estate values, jobs and better facilities for our citizens. (An ice rink, community and/or convention center would be a boon.)
Also, a technology business or software developer only needs affordable land, cheap electricity and a willing local government. Things we have in abundance in Lake County.
Yes, “visitors” can be a pain from Friday through Sunday. But they bring their cash and leave it here. And those funds can make our quality of life so much better.
Vince Lovato
Polson
