“We are asking to reduce the pass throughs by half at a
minimum,” said Marion Fox, President, Louisiana Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. “During the past three sessions, these pass throughs have
greatly increased by 67 perecent. In Fiscal Year 2010-2011, pass throughs
totaled $3.5 million and this year, more than $10.5 million is proposed.”
Michael Boudreaux, owner of Juban's Restaurant and LRA member testifies in the House Appropriations Committee defending the tourism budget from pass throughs. |
"Tourism funding is extremely important to the success of the restaurant industry in Louisiana,” said Michael Boudreaux, owner of Juban’s Restaurant in Baton Rouge and Louisiana Restaurant Association Board Member. “The more visitors we attract, the more jobs our industry can add. Pass throughs are detrimental to the purpose of the dedicated funding for tourism.”
Pass throughs divert monies dedicated from its intended purpose of promotion of the state’s tourism industry through the purchase of media advertisement, including but not limited to, newspaper, magazine, billboard, radio and television ads and to assist the state in the promotion of tourism.
In addition, this is the second fiscal year in a row that
the tourism budget is being used to fund decentralized arts grants totaling
$1.5 million that previously came from the general fund. The Sports Hall
of Fame and the Creole Heritage Museum in Natchitoches set to open in 2013,
will receive $677,000 to fund the operational expense and the addition of seven
positions under the current proposed budget.
Museums are funded entirely with
general fund dollars and this deviation would set the precedent of using
tourism dollars for the ongoing operational expenses of a state museum which is
under the control of the State Museums and the Louisiana State Museum Board.
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