Appointments to a new Tourism Development Council Tuesday night were the first step in reviving Sumter County’s tourism development tax.
A referendum on the Nov. 3 general election ballot will determine whether the county will impose a 2 percent tax expected to collect about $1 million annually.
The tax would be collected from tourists who stay in hotels, campgrounds or other temporary lodging.
Commissioners suspended the tax in October 2020 and have discussed bringing it back at several workshops.
They approved an ordinance Tuesday night to create the council and put the tax referendum to voters.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold said tax proceeds could be used for tourism-related capital projects such as county fairgrounds improvements. The former tax often was used to benefit organizations including partial funding of performances at The Villages town squares.
Commissioners appointed seven members of the Tourism Development Council including County Chairman Don Wiley, Allen Dorsey, Dana Martina, Andrea McHugh, Ronald McMahon and Wayne Cassity. Wildwood Commissioner David Fontaine also was named as a municipal representative.
The nine-member council will include three tourist industry members, three hotel or campground owners, two municipal representatives and Wiley. They will serve staggered terms so all are not elected at the same time.
Although he voted for the ordinance, Wiley expressed some reservations about the tax.
“It puts an additional tax burden on our businesses,” he said, adding that short-term rentals in The Villages may avoid the tax.
Arnold said the tax would be collected by the state or the county tax collector and enforcement would be up to them.
Commissioner Deb Butterfield said the tax would be paid by tourists, not businesses.
“We can’t police everything,” she said. “We’re leaving precious money on the table.”