[Winona Online Democracy]
While I believe the Wilkie needs saving I disagree that tourism will be the saving grace for Winona. If Mark truly believes tourism will ever match the wages of manufacturing jobs then I would like to see his data to support such a claim. Most jobs in tourism are at the lowest end if not closest to the minimum wage, or are part time and have little if any benefits. Tourism may even fall below retail in terms of sustainable income for working families. I also believe he is dead wrong on his comment that "the city fathers don't get tourism" for they have blessed every opportunity to provide taxpayer money to support it without little factual data to support our investment and more important a return on investment to taxpayers in the form of lower property taxes because of all the new revenue in brings in. I also believe most would be very surprised at the sales tax revenue increases Wal-Mart, Menards and Fleet Farm have contributed and why the city wants the local sales tax option because the city fathers do know how significant those numbers are. I would welcome supporting facts on how the tourism will provide well paying jobs for Winona's work force. Share the facts not the hype. Show the community how private money not grants and donors can raise the money, get a return on their investment and then many will become believers and Winona will flourish with development dollars. Until that happens I bet my dollars on manufacturing, construction and healthcare. Paul Double -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of mark anthony Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 2:16 PM Greetings, To save the Wilkie is not a difficult issue. The problem is with the City fathers that don't get tourism. They don't want to understand something so simple because it is easier to let the developers design the city, pay permit fees and have their way. Easier to do that than grow a backbone and realize tourism is the saving grace. Tourism can provide the city with more jobs, more tax money and more status than any Wal-mart ever could. But it takes a real "vision" And real leadership. Not a arch on Huff street and Hwy 61 or restaurant row. Or whatever the latest tax payer study shows The Wilkie connects the city to what made the city. Its history and its future is with the river. Not some eroding bluff. But to run the Wilkie and all it stands for, it needs the backing of a city that knows how to market the city as a tourist location, not a developers location. It needs a city that takes tourism and the tourist dollar seriously, not for granted. The big jobs are not coming back. The big industrial plants are not coming back. Tourism brings jobs, money and prestige all without filling in some swamp or building some ugly strip mall. Tourism can do what the city needs. If Taken Seriously!! _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
