Why not collect hospitality tax?

Some have tried to deny that the hospitality tax helps the city of Yuma. This misinformation is generated by parties who come here and enjoy our weather, use our streets and raise the area's population by over 100,000. And some others try to claim that the Foothills out-of-towners, that come here for a few months only, are the target of the tax, and do not come to town, and they stay in the Foothills while they are here.
  
Have you tried to get into a restaurant in the city in the winter? Or had to take a side street to avoid traffic because the main thoroughfares are full of out-of-state cars with people not in a hurry to get where they're going? Or try to find a parking spot at the hospital or pay a fee beginning in November to get into the local flea markets? Or wait in a cashier line on sale day at the chain stores? And what about the extra strain that our local law enforcement, fire and rescue have to deal with during the winter? It is local tax dollars paying for the services.
 
We've all seen the Foothills explode over the last 20 years. Yes, there are shopping centers, and a new Wal-Mart, new restaurants. The growth has overflowed to the Wellton area. This does not mean that people don't want to come to Yuma to shop, enjoy the many events that Yuma sponsors, come to the flea markets or the casinos.
 
And let's not forget Mexico in the winter, or all those people who go out to the sand dunes and for those long weekends or dove season and the hunters. Have you been to Martinez Lake in the summer with all those young people from California with their boats and water vehicles? Most of the events have visitors coming here or staying days, weeks, and or months and usually making plans to return again and again.
  
And, of course, there's YPG, GM and the Marine Air Station personnel that are stationed here and don't pay property taxes.
  
And then there's the new port of entry with that brand-new highway going to the border. I guess we need to mention the agriculture industry that includes lettuce coolers, the staff, the migrant workers on the buses that stop and shop at local stores on the way to and from the fields. These people do not live here or pay property taxes but have a huge impact to the city and surrounding area for months.
  
Yuma is a unique oasis in the middle of the desert with all the attributes stated above, that people want to make it a target destination, to come and spend their money. How foolish would it be not take advantage of non-residents to help finance some of the things that the residents would be able to enjoy all year? Why would anybody want to turn down the opportunity to collect a minimal tax rate that generates money that benefits Yuma, and have visitors stand in line to give it to you.
  
I am 110 percent in favor of the hospitality tax - but I do not agree on everything the city intends to use the revenue for. I don't believe the city needs to get involved in private enterprise - that is not their job. Let the private market do its market research to determine what businesses would do well in Yuma. I would never have thought we needed so many hotels and motels, but all that proves is that I am not an expert either.


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CLAY O. JONES
Yuma