Answer Man: TDA promoting itself in ad? Merrimon Avenue sign missing a piece?
Today’s batch of burning questions, my smart-aleck answers and the real deal:
Question: I was reading your paper this morning online when I was greeted by a huge ad by the BCTDA telling me how wonderful they are. It wasn't an ad advertising visiting our fair city, but one specifically calling out their awesomeness and that I should love them. Since they are funded by taxes, that seems to be a legal issue ... essentially, aren't they using taxes to lobby for themselves rather than get people to visit Asheville? That can't possibly be in the law that mandates their existence, can it? What's the deal? As my kids say, seems "sus."
My answer: On the hipness front, I'd like to note that in this case I only Googled "sus" to confirm my, ahem, suspicion that it means "suspect" or "suspicious." I feel like I'm growing as a slang-challenged geezer.
Real answer: The Buncombe County TDA is the parent organization of Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau. TDA spokeswoman Kathi Petersen said they "appreciate appreciate the opportunity to provide more information about the public awareness program Explore Asheville has been running over the past several weeks.
More: Buncombe TDA passes $30.6M operating budget, awaits state tweak to distribution formula
"The purpose was to publicize the 2022 grant cycle of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s Tourism Product Development Fund – specifically to invite Buncombe County nonprofits and municipal partners to apply for funding for capital projects," Petersen said via email. "With $15 million forecasted to be available in the Tourism Product Development Fund this year, we wanted to be sure that as many community members as possible knew about the information session we hosted on May 4 and the first-phase grant application deadline of June 1."
The ads also provided an overview of past projects supported by the fund. The TDA will announce grant awards in late October.
More: Bill to change local tourism distribution formula entered in Raleigh
As far as funding the ad, Petersen agreed the TDA "has the fiduciary responsibility to ensure that occupancy tax dollars are spent in accordance with the specific state legislation governing their use."
The state law that created the TDA in 1983 requires the authority to spend 75% of occupancy tax revenues on promotion and marketing of the area, and 25% on the Tourism Product Development Fund. The legislature is poised to pass a new law this week that would change that formula to two-thirds promotion, one-third TPDF.
"If this legislation passes, it is expected that $10-$13 million could be available for community projects in fiscal year 2023," Petersen said.
More: Asheville's Muni golf course, greenways, WNC nature center might see $7.8M in TDA funding
But either way, self-promotion of the TDA is not allowed with the occupancy tax revenue, a 6% fee paid on hotel rooms, vacation rentals and bed & breakfast inns.
"The reader is correct that using occupancy tax revenue for this local public awareness program would not be allowed," Petersen said. "Instead it was funded by revenue earned from ad sales on ExploreAsheville.com."
More: After Buncombe's hotel tax budget balloons, commissioners call for reformed legislation
That revenue also allows the TDA to invest in community festivals, cultural events and local sponsorships, Petersen said.
By the way, since the TPDF was created more than two decades ago, it has provided $44 million in grants to 39 capital projects.
Question: The middle section of the large exit sign on I-240 for Merrimon Avenue (Exit 5A) has been missing for quite some time, making it a bit hard to decipher, especially for those not familiar with the highway, like the vast number of out-of-town drivers. Any idea when it might be replaced? Or is changing the name to "Me...on" part of the road diet planned for Merrimon?
My answer: God knows what "Me...on" means in slang. I'm not even going to check. I've grown enough for one day.
Real answer: Anna Henderson, a traffic engineer with the North Carolina Department of Transportation's Asheville office, said the DOT ordered the sign in January.
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"The sign manufacturing plant has experienced the same shortages as many others in the construction industry," Henderson said via email June 22. "Thankfully, they are hopeful that the fabrication will be completed within the next several weeks. After fabrication is complete, we will schedule installation during off-peak hours with our contractor."
This is the opinion of John Boyle. To submit a question, contact him at 232-5847 or jboyle@citizen-times.com
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Answer Man: TDA promoting itself in ad? Merrimon Avenue sign MIA?
