Letters to the Editor: published Friday, Sept. 6, 2019

Transient occupancy tax reallocation

[Editor’s note: This letter was read into the record of the Tuesday, Sept. 3, City Council meeting. It has been edited only to correct minor spelling errors.]

Please do not take the City’s advertising dollars away from Avalon Citizens who need the tourist dollars and revenue to feed their families.

Marketing budget cuts to States. Cities and DMO’s have a history of devastating consequences to their regions. Please, don’t make the same mistake. We don’t understand how a City whose sole income is derived from Travel, is considering diverting these funds. Business prudence follows that you never cut advertising budget when you are looking to maintain or increase your revenue. This is for all the hotel, restaurant and store workers, not just business owners. If the businesses lose, so do City revenues.

Here are some constructive ways for the City to improve its revenue stream without hurting the people of Avalon.

  1. Please approve the restaurant on the fuel dock. If it had been approved a few years ago it would have already added $250K to City coffers.
  2. An appropriately run apartment complex at 206 East Whittley, would have helped.
  3. The vacant office space at the mole, is another resource for City income.

We as a City of workers can work together to find other sources without being shortsighted and cut off the revenue generated by our carefully executed advertising campaign. The Avalon Chamber uses this money which is the driver of tourism to help all of Avalon.

Is everybody here, meaning staff and council members, willing to reach into their pockets further down the road when we all find out how devastating cutting the marketing dollars to Catalina Island has become. Citizens, employees and Business owners in this community always pay with their pockets when they make bad business decisions. We will all pay even more if the Council and City Staff are short sighted. I think City Staff and Council Members should be willing to agree to their share of financial burdens on bad decisions. This is a bad decision if made. Do you individually want to be responsible for a loss of City revenue or worse yet, JOBS for Avalon workers?

Please respect the past City Councils business decisions to continue to fund advertising for the life blood of our town, TOURISIM!

Rock and Kathleen Gosselin, and Carl Lambert

The Avalon Hotel

Thank you

Thank you Billy Delbert for serving on the board of the Chimes Tower Foundation. Your enthusiasm and out-of-the-box thinking are unparalleled. Billy has been on the island since 1987, and was a devoted employee of the Santa Catalina Island Company for over 20 years. During his tenure as President of the Company’s subsidiary, Catalina Island Resort Services, he made many friends and connections in the entertainment industry.

Recently, Billy had the idea to invite American actor, singer and game show host John Davidson to perform live at the Chimes Tower Foundation’s third annual “BELLissimo!” event. John Davidson is best known as the TV host of The Hollywood Squares and That’s Incredible! as well as guest host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

John is no stranger to Catalina or the melodic sounds of the Chimes Tower. Many locals may remember seeing John walking the streets of Avalon. In 1982, he held a fundraising concert for the Avalon Chamber of Commerce in the Casino Ballroom. John has been coming to the island since 1978, and has spent many a night in Avalon Harbor. He even served as Avalon’s Honorary Mayor from 1979-1980. The Chimes have entertained not only John, but also millions of Avalon residents and visitors. However, 93 years have taken a toll on the Chimes Tower, and, lucky for us, John is eager to support such a worthy cause.

The Catalina Chimes Tower Foundation is currently raising funds to restore and refresh this beloved Avalon landmark. If you would like to be a part of this project, we would welcome your donation at www.catalinachimes.org. You can also get information about the history of the Chimes Tower and its restoration progress, as well as upcoming fundraising events such as “Moonlight over BELLissimo!” where John Davidson will be performing live on October 12th.

Thank you again, Billy, for your great idea, John, for your willingness to join us at our fundraising event, and those who have and would like to help us in restoring our beloved Catalina Chimes Tower.

Alison Wrigley Rusack, Chair

Blanny Avalon Hagenah, Vice Chair

Catalina Chimes Tower Foundation

Decisions affecting community require more oversight

I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Bob Piacentini’s excellent letter asking for more oversight in to the decision to add another cruise ship to the Islands already stressed resources. As a frequent tourist to the Island, I am not privy to Chamber facts and figures but I can tell you as a visitor, I try to avoid the Island at all cost on cruise ship visit days. Several years ago the Chamber was proposing and studying a cruise ship dock extending from the mole, no ferries necessary. I objected at that time in this publication with a warning, be careful what you ask for. Cruise ships are being built at a much faster rate now than they were then. But on the other side of the coin, there has been continued protests and expulsions from visiting ports that have said, enough is enough. I think the City and its residents need to be involved with a vote if necessary. The congestion and noise seriously distracts from the ambiance and fabric that makes the Island so unique.

As an aside to this issue, the noise generated by golf cart rentals on cruise ship days can be very annoying. I am surprised the Council hasn’t explored the idea of establishing a 10 year drop dead date for gas powered golf carts. The new battery powered golf carts would go a long way to improving the quality of life on your beautiful Island.

Tom Smith

Rancho Palos Verdes