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AJ's Greenberg just can't get it right on Visitor Center

Listener: Nick
Category: Lubbock City Politics
Date: 12 May 2008
Time: 12:39:38 -0700
Remote Name: 68.91.16.225

Comments

In Sunday’s editorial section Terry Greenberg wrote the following regarding why certain letters are printed and others are not.

“We also pulled a few complaining about "my tax money" being used to build the Visitors Center. Get your facts straight. The Visitors Center is being paid for by a tax added to hotel room projects that aid tourism and the local hotel owners want the Visitors Center.”

Well, Mr. Greenberg had better get his facts straight. Any and all tax money levied by the city of Lubbock, regardless of the source of that money, belongs to the citizens of Lubbock and therefore is “my tax money”.

• Just whose money does he think it is anyway, the hotel owners?
• Last time I checked, the hotels don’t pay the tax, they just collect it. Therefore, why does he believe that local hotel owners wanting the visitors center trumps the citizens of Lubbock not wanting it (or at least a $7 million version).
• Furthermore, I suppose he thinks that Lubbock residents never stay in Lubbock hotels? My wife and I do – we like to get away from the kids every now and then. So yes, my family does pay some of those taxes and I’ll bet we’re not alone.

It is this type of thinking (along with a hefty price tag) that have soured the citizens on the visitors center. It has never been a secret how the AJ thinks, but Mr. Greenberg really showed his true colors today.

Nick

Pratt responds:

The tax is levied by the people of Lubbock on hotel visitors. It is public, taxpayer money no matter how you slice it. Secondly, local businesses pay for a large percentage of rooms for business visitors, interviewees, etc. Also, local family members often pay for hotel rooms for friends and relatives for weddings, reunions, etc. This truth be damned attitude is a reason they had no problem with Miller, birds of a feather....