Wildwood Commissioner Joe Elliott suggested Tuesday night that Sumter County bring back a 2-percent tourism tax that was abolished in 2020.
He said the tax eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic should be restored now that we have reached a “new normal.”
“In order to improve the county, we should promote tourism,” Elliott told county commissioners at a workshop meeting, adding that the county tourism council, on which he served, also should resume.
Sumter commissioners disagreed on whether the tax should come back, but will discuss it further at a May workshop.
Paid mostly by non-county residents who have short stays at hotels, campgrounds and rental homes, tax proceeds were used for tourism-related events such as The Villages town square entertainment, high school sporting events, clay shooting competitions and an annual hoedown sponsored by The Villages Homeowners Association.
Commissioners voted in 2020 to eliminate the tax instead of suspending it due to the burden tourism-related businesses were facing during the pandemic.
Besides a majority vote of commissioners, approval of a referendum would be required to bring back the tax.
Commissioner Don Wiley said he does not favor any new taxes and County Chairman Craig Estep agreed. But commissioners Andrew Bilardello, Jeffery Bogue and Roberta Ulrich said they are willing to consider the idea.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold said about 60 percent of the tax proceeds were used to support events and 40 percent for capital improvements on public lands.
When the tax was abolished, a $2.4-million fund surplus was allocated to put a roof on the horse arena at the county fairgrounds.
Commissioners also agreed Tuesday night to bring back another suspended practice – pooling their money to buy a steer or hog to support the annual Sumter County Fair to be held next month.
The tradition of the annual animal purchases was stopped a couple years ago.
Estep said he will attend the fair’s auction and find an animal to buy. Commissioners will get some of their money back when the animal is resold.
