Destination Kent Committee hosts kickoff event to convince voters that the hotel tax should increase to pay for projects that benefit the super rich in Grand Rapids

Earlier this week, the Destination Kent Committee kicked off their campaign to convince voters to support an increase of the hotel tax in Kent County in order to fund various development projects that Grand Action 2.0, the GR Chamber of Commerce and some politicians want to benefit the tourism industry. 

This was exactly what Kent County Administrator Al Vanderberg said during the kickoff event, according to MLive.

“Tourism is the backbone for our local economy,” Vanderberg said. “The amphitheater, soccer stadium, aquarium will help keep West Michigan on the map and draw people from all over to our great county.”

Vanderberg was joined by Johnny Brann Jr., Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, the GR Chamber of Commerce, Grand Action 2.0 and several other members of the Capitalist Class and the politicians they have bought over the years. The Destination Kent Committee is heading up this campaign and the primary organizer of this effort is  John Helmholdt, the president of SeyferthPR, which is the preferred PR firm of those in the Grand Rapids Power Structure. 

The Destination Kent Committee is trying to convince voter to pass the ballot initiative on August 6th. The campaign’s website doesn’t have much information about the August 6th vote, but there are opportunities for people to contribute to the campaign, along with a list of people who are endorsing it.

According to the Kent County Clerk’s office, the actual August 6th ballot language states:

SHALL KENT COUNTY INCREASE THE RATE AT WHICH THE EXCISE TAX IS LEVIED ON ALL PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING ROOMS FOR LODGING PURPOSES TO GUESTS STAYING LESS THAN 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS UNDER PUBLIC ACT 263 OF 1974 AS AMENDED FROM 5% TO 8% OF THE TOTAL CHARGE FOR ACCOMMODATIONS TO BE USED FOR ALLOWABLE USES INCLUDING FINANCING OF THE ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, IMPROVEMENT, ENLARGEMENT, REPAIR, OR MAINTENANCE OF STADIUMS, ARENAS, SPORTS COMPLEXES, AND AQUARIUMS STARTING JANUARY 1, 2025 AND TERMINATING ON THE SAME DAY AS THE COUNTY ORDINANCE ENACTED UNDER PUBLIC ACT 263 OF 1974 AS AMENDED.

The actual ballot language is significantly different than the PR created tag lines from Destination Kent, which refers to the August 6th vote as “visitor funded community assets” and “the tax you don’t pay.” These tag lines are slick, but they are nothing short of misinformation. First, when I think of community assets, I think of public libraries or public parks, which our tax dollars do pay for, but I can use them pretty much whenever I want at no cost. The Amphitheater, the Soccer Stadium, the Aquarium and any other sports or entertainment venue will always require the public to purchase tickets. In addition, the City and County governments have already signed off on providing public tax dollars and public subsidies to fund these projects, even though the public has no say in how they are run, since the public won’t own them. 

Under the About Us section at the Destination Kent site it says that if the ballot initiative is passed it will mean that the hotel tax will generate $24 million per year. Now, if that amount of money could be raised from an 8% hotel tax, then why the hell can’t we use that money for affordable housing or rental assistance? Imagine how many families could benefit from $24 million going towards housing. For example, if a working class family is paying $1500 for rent a month, 12 months would be a total of $18,000 per year. This means that $24 million would provide rent coverage for 1,333 families for an entire year. 

So the real question is, why do we keep funding projects that will primarily benefit the super rich instead of funding housing for those who can’t afford the ridiculously high rent costs in Kent County? Let the people from Grand Action 2.0 and the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce pay for these projects, especially since it would be a drop in the bucket for their members, especially the ones who have their names on buildings across the city. VOTE NO on August 6th for the SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES PROPOSAL!