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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 25, 2021 02:41 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Jack Rader, Jr. |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | DMO Grants Legislation |
| As we all know, COVID-19 has severely impacted Pennsylvania’s business community and economy. This crisis has also decimated Pennsylvania’s tourism community and the Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO’s) around the state that are tasked to use county hotel tax dollars to draw overnight visitors to the many attractions and sights in our Commonwealth. As hotels have remained empty, those dollars needed for promotion have essentially evaporated and the entities that will be charged with the message that PA is open for business do not have the resources to do so. Therefore, I am drafting legislation that would use future federal dollars to create a $15 million grant program for DMO’s. The grants would be based on the difference in hotel tax revenue in April 2020 compared to April 2019. Many industries need our help, but I would argue that tourism is what will be a key part of bringing our economy back and helping us recover. All of us have a DMO in our community and it is important that we support them because we will be relying on them to bring tax dollars back to PA when this is over. COVID will get under control and promoting our Commonwealth as a travel destination needs to begin now. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB554