Don’t give accommodations tax to profitable fests

I saw in the paper that the Carolina Country Music Fest is asking for $100,000 to advertise and promote its next festival. Also, many other activities have their hands out wanting a piece of the pie, so to speak. Let's just address the Music Fest.

It had 20,000 attendees each day of the Fest. At the prices charged for attending, the gross had to be $15-20 million for the weekend. And they want a handout? This, like many other activities asking for money from the Accommodation Tax fund, are private enterprises operating for profit.

If they need money to advertise the event, loan them the money and make them pay it back out of their profits. Whoever makes these decisions needs to readjust their thinking. I have an accommodation (a home) and want to redecorate it. Does this mean I can get a handout from the tax fund? Isn't it easy to spend someone else's money?

Our city leaders are spending money like drunken sailors and need to quit spending money for the sake of spending. If the city has so much money, give some of it back to the residents.

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 9:48 AM with the headline "Don’t give accommodations tax to profitable fests."