The Norman Transcript

Letters

Discussion

March 6, 2013

Say yes to guest tax increase

The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — Editor, The Transcript:

Less than a month from now, Norman voters will have the chance to approve an increase to the transient guest tax (hotel/motel tax). This tax increase will not be paid by Norman citizens but by those who stay overnight at our lodging establishments.

Andy Alligator’s Fun Park and Andy Alligator’s Water Park does not directly benefit from the transient guest tax, but our businesses do benefit from the promotion provided by the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau.

If the CVB had more money in their operating budget to promote Norman as a destination, that means more outreach to potential park visitors and more people frequenting our businesses.

Many are surprised at how many out-of-town guests our parks attract to Norman who stay overnight and dine and shop while here. Being a local family owned business, we take pride in Norman and look forward to bringing more dollars into our community to help benefit the city and its residents.

The Norman Arts Council and Norman Parks and Recreation Department are other beneficiaries of the tax increase because they split half of the money with the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau.

If those two groups had more money in their operating budgets, that would be an even more improved quality of life for Norman residents like myself and our park employees.

Voting “yes” on April 2 improves Norman, so I am all for it. Let’s stay competitive and bring more visitors to Norman.

KYLE ALLISON

Norman

For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Letters
  • Project is wrong one for Asp

    Editor, The Transcript: Norman’s city council is being asked to approve a land use change request to intensive commercial (C-3) with special use for a large building with commercial space and a 200-unit, 240 bedroom apartment complex on ...

    June 20, 2013

  • Iranian-American voting puzzling

    Editor, The Transcript: I am rather puzzled and hope someone can enlighten me. In the Saturday, June 15, Transcript was an interesting story of Iranian-Americans voting in Iran’s recent presidential election....

    June 20, 2013

  • City doesn’t need to spend $521K for enhancements

    Editor: The Transcript: I read reporter Joy Hampton’s report on June 12 regarding the recent city council meeting. After picking my jaw up from the table, I thought I must have misread the article. Surely it had to be a misprint that the ...

    June 19, 2013

  • Recent lawsuit was frivolous

    Editor, The Transcript: I have been a lawyer for more than 50 years and have seen many changes in our judiciary, most of which I have disliked. Since the time I was sworn into the bar, our society has become more litigious, thinking that ...

    June 18, 2013

  • Highway projects are wasteful

    Editor, The Transcript:   The transfer of moneys from the private sector to the government, by use of taxation, for example, should not be expected to affect economies. Both entities spend the money on jobs and on goods and services. Who ...

    June 16, 2013

  • California is doing just fine

    Editor, The Transcript: George Will owes California an apology for his numerous columns predicting the state’s impending collapse because of gross mismanagement of public funds....

    June 15, 2013

  • Plan leaves you high, dry

    Editor, The Transcript: Living in Oklahoma, being an “at will” employee is pretty common. If you are not familiar with the term, it simply means that the boss can fire you whenever he wants. This may apply to you and you don’t even know ...

    June 15, 2013

  • We make it easy for storms

    Editor, The Transcript: If we look at how the average house is constructed here, we see how easily tornados destroy them. Walls are framed together with nails. When the walls are erected, that puts all of the nails in a vertical position....

    June 15, 2013

  • Orwell mistitled novel ‘1984’

    Editor, The Transcript: Obama as Sgt. Schultz: Personally, I’d like to think he (Obama) is just that. However; unhappily, I believe just the opposite. His communist upbringing, Muslim background and Saul Alinsky ties plus his in-depth ...

    June 14, 2013

  • Spend your time wisely

    Someone once wrote “Time, you thief,” And we know what that does mean. It seems the days go flying by — Never more to be seen. Don’t leave those needed words unsaid, And don’t forget it’s fun to play....

    June 13, 2013