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The Legislature’s Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality today recommended that the Legislature adopt recommendations of a broad-based task force regarding county funding to address an ongoing structural deficit for Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD).  By unanimous vote, the committee backed the recommendation of the TCAD Funding Task Force that the County enter into a multi-year funding agreement with TCAD to ensure a “sustained and balanced funding strategy” for TCAD.

Acknowledging TCAD’s ongoing value to the County in providing a strong, proactive economic development program, the task force supports continuation of a TCAD revenue structure where one- third of revenue comes from the County, one-third from employer investors, and a one-third from project fees, with increased County support coming, in part, from county Room Occupancy Tax revenues, beginning next year.

The Task Force found that TCAD’s commitment to maintain and expand programs and activities that contribute to tourism and visitor activity justify such allocations within existing State and County law regarding the room tax.  The 14-person Task Force consisted of five County Legislators, two representatives of TCAD, the Chamber of Commerce, the Strategic Tourism Planning Board, a representative of organized labor, and two community representatives.  The Strategic Tourism Planning Board also supports the recommendations.

The six-year funding agreement would begin this year, with a County contribution of $177,750 (already included in the 2013 budget), then would phase in partial support through Room Tax, beginning with funding through available room tax reserves in 2014.  Use of current-year Room Tax funds would begin in 2015, with the amount projected to increase each year through 2018.  Significant County resources other than room tax would also be required to provide funding equivalent to one-third of the TCAD budget—total annual contribution including room tax and other county funds estimated at between $200,000 and $250,000 beginning in 2014.  As projected, over the six-year period room tax revenues would represent 55% of the support to TCAD, with other county revenues contributing the remaining 45%.  The agreement also would include the opportunity to reopen and adjust, should there be significant changes in financial circumstances,

County Administrator Joe Mareane and committee members praised the work of Task Force chair Art Pearce and Chamber of Commerce president Jean McPheeters for their bringing together of all the competing interests represented on the task force to forge the workable funding plan.  Legislator Pat Pryor called it “a very productive process for this community to have gone through.”

Legislature Chair Martha Robertson said these discussions, in part, contributed to the idea of an increased Legislature focus on economic development, through an Economic Development Committee of the Legislature, which will begin work next month.  TCAD president Michael Stamm said TCAD also is committed to a focused and productive collaboration with the County, as well as the tourism sector, and will, in part, increase County representation on the TCAD board.

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