Convention and Visitors Bureau Receives $15,000 from County Board

Champaign County's Convention and Visitors Bureau is getting an influx of $15,000 dollars from the county.

The Champaign County Board's 17-to-3 decision Thursday night was brought on by Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing's decision to veto funding of $72,000 dollars to the CVB. The city council this week upheld the veto. The funds from the county are a portion of the local hotel-motel tax. It was approved in the 1980's to pay off bonds for some work at Willard Airport. This year, it's expected to be about $22,000.

District 9 Democrat Brendan McGinty says a portion of the tax really wasn't backing tourism anymore.

"And previously, we had been using it for tourism-related things, but things like sheriff's overtime to support events, and to pay those bills basically," he said. "Now the sheriff charges municipalities and events for that kind of service. This money is available and it's absolutely a proper use of those funds."

But opponent and District 6 Democrat Michael Richards says there are far better uses for the $15,000.

"There are dozens of social service agencies that are being affected by state and federal and local budget cuts," he said. "Yet, suddenly, when the convention and visitors bureau are facing the prospect of budget cuts, people come running to the rescue. I don't see why the CVB should be exempt from the same ethos as everybody else,"

Richards voted the funding down, along with Pattsi Petrie and Carol Ammons, also both Democrats. The Urbana City Council does plan to take up the issue of CVB funding later, with hopes of funding the agency at a lower level. CVB President Jayne DeLuce admits the timing of the county's donation surprised her. But she says it will augment the CVB's current budget, and not replace funds it would have received from Urbana.

"I will still have to figure out in our budget what we will do based on the level of funding that Urbana provides," she said. "I don't have any idea of what they're looking at at this point, but they're planning to discuss it Monday night at their committee of the whole meeting."

Urbana Alderman Charlie Smyth said Monday he hopes to dedicate at least $20,000 in allocated funds for the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The city council meets Monday night at 7.