Chairman's Message: What is the Secret Word?

Hello Members:

The last days of summer are upon us.  Tourists are going back home, no doubt with a little sand in their shoes and envy in their hearts for those of us that get to live here all year.  I have met so many people vacationing here and most, not all but most, tell me of their plans to get down here full-time.  Sure some are planning to move here after they retire, but the majority plan/need to work, which highlights the need for economic diversity.  Understand that your Chamber always welcomes and wants to hear your ideas regarding this matter.  Understand too that we are doing what we can with what we have right now to help our area become more diversified.

How?  Currently the emphasis is on getting EDATE passed.  EDATE, the Economic Development Ad Valorem Tax Exemption, is important because it will allow Okaloosa County Commissioners and the Destin City Council to grant exemptions for new AND expanding business that relocate to or expand in our area IF certain requirements are met.  Helping to entice businesses to come here or expand here, employing locals, to me is a giant step in the right direction.  So please, vote in favor of EDATE when you vote this August.  I have it on very good authority that you can only vote once - but once should be enough if EVERYONE does it! 

What else?  Paddleat the Porch was a success.  We had just over 100 participants paddling in the one, three, and six mile races.  I would love to tell you I won, or even participated, in one of those races, but I did not.

Instead I roamed around talking with our sponsors (thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU), observers, and the participants.  The Back Porch, our location sponsor, was the perfect location for the event this year (as it was for the previous two years).  Your Board was represented there, as were the Chamber's Ambassadors.   While it is obvious and goes without saying, I am going to say it again and again, we absolutely could not have put on this event without the help of the VOLUNTEERS. The Chamber staff, Suzy, Elizabeth, Dena, and our new membership consultant Jacqui were their usual organized, enthusiastic, efficient, happy selves.  Shane had fun, and yes, he was there from beginning to end - in the sun mostly, so if you see him, you may want to douse him with some cold water because he may still be a little warm.  Oh no, have I started something?

If you missed Paddle at the Porch, please join us for Bourbon on the Bay on Nov. 13.  On second thought, even if you came to Paddle at the Porch, come join us again - there really is no limit to the number of events you can attend, really. Some new drinks will be offered.  It should be a fun event once again . . . but we need YOU to make it a success.  YOU make this Chamber the success that it is, we want to hear from YOU and see YOU at our events. 

Next time I will tell you about the TCPI, Tri-County Partnership Initiative, and the good things coming out of it.   Since it is still in its infancy, I will wait just a bit longer so I can give it the props it no doubt will deserve.  Also, coming up (does this sound like a commercial or what?), traffic news - what will the Council decide to do about that traffic issue near Marler street?  I have learned that so much goes into the decision to put in a fully signalized traffic light versus a signalized cross-walk.  No matter the decision, know that your Chamber supports getting pedestrians across Highway 98 safely.  We will leave it to the experts to make the decision as to how that can be done.

As always, thank you for reading, thank you for being a member and the secret word is "EDATE." If you see me or any other Board member, staff, or yes, even Shane, say it and we will know you read this BLOG!!

Best to YOU and YOURS,

Amy Perry

2014 Destin Area Chamber Chairman

Pleat, Perry & Ritchie, P.A.

Mayor Mel Ponder Updates Chamber at August Lunch

Thank you to Destin Mayor Mel Ponder for speaking with Destin Area Chamber of Commerce members, during our Aug. 12 Leaders In Business Lunch. Thank you also to EDC Executive Director Nathan Sparks for providing information on EDATE and to Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux for an update on the upcoming election and early voting information.

Check out event photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.651351231628914.1073741904.105008336263209&type=3

We appreciate those who donated door prizes, including the following:
- Beachy Beach Real Estate
- Destin Commons
- Destin Princess and Destiny - Party Boats
- Eglin Federal Credit Union
- Emerald Coast Chiropractic
- Gulf Power
- Mary Kay Cosmetics Senior Director Julie Erikson
- Professional Records Imaging Mgmt., Inc.
- Regional Self Storage
- SimpleHR / SimpleHIRE

Our next Leaders In Business Lunch will be BusinessPalooza! on Sept. 9. Find details here: http://www.destinchamber.com/events/BusinessPalooza!-Leaders-In-Business-Lunch-MiniBusiness-Expo--7045/details

President's Message: VOTE YES FOR JOBS

For the past four or five years, you’ve heard your Destin Area Chamber of Commerce Board and staff discuss the need for economic diversification.  There are many reasons for this, the most important being that more jobs created over more sectors of industry and professions creates a stronger economy, increases tax revenues for the city and county, and creates a strong, stable business community.

One of the hurdles we could never seem to jump where economic diversification is concerned is the lack of incentives for new or expanding businesses to locate, open, or expand in Destin.  Okaloosa County has had incentives, but the economic development ad valorem tax exemption incentive (EDATE) expired in March 2014.

We once again have the opportunity to vote EDATE back into place for Okaloosa County.  We also have the opportunity to vote this into place, for the first time, for the city of Destin.

When you go to the polls for the Aug. 26, primary election, you will see this referendum on the ballot.  The Chamber’s Board of Directors encourages you to vote yes for the incentive.  It’s a vote for job creation, a diversified economy, and a stronger business community.

For the first time in anyone’s memory, EDATE is supported by the boards of the seven leading business organizations in Okaloosa County: Crestview Area Chamber, Destin Area Chamber, Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber, Niceville Valparaiso Chamber, Building Industry Association, Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, and the Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County.  All of the organizations believe strongly in the need to be competitive in the world of economic development.  Our competition isn’t our neighboring counties, but rather the other states in the southeast, all of whom have very aggressive incentives.

Voting yes for jobs via this referendum will give Okaloosa County, Destin, and Fort Walton Beach to enhance incentives at the state level.  (If you’re voting in Fort Walton Beach, you have the opportunity to vote yes for that city to implement EDATE, as well.)  The incentive will be used if the county commission and/or city councils choose to provide it to a prospect, and they can choose the percentage and length of time of the incentive too.  Any prospect or business who receives this incentive will be subject to an audit each year to ensure they have followed the requirements of jobs created, capital investment, and average wages.

Remember, when you go to the polls on Aug. 26, vote yes for EDATE.  You’ll be voting to create jobs and build a better community.  After all, that’s how we’ll continue to build this world-class community one business at a time!

With wishes for continued success, until next time,

Shane Moody, CCE, FCCP

President & CEO

Destin Area Chamber of Commerce

Chairman's Message: What is EDATE?

Hello, Members!

Summer officially arrived this weekend.  What does that mean for you? Well, most immediately it means cookouts are happening everywhere, and the Chamber is no exception.  The Destin Commons is celebrating the opening of its expansion on July 3, with the Smoke on the Coast BBQ and Fireworks Festival.  I hope you will stop by and see all the new stores.  Please be sure and come see YOUR Chamber hard at work in our tent.  We will be smoking Boston butts.  Correction, Shane, Elizabeth, Dena, and Suzy will be doing the cooking - I will not, so it will be safe to eat.

If you have plans to be out of town around the Fourth of July and cannot make the Smoke on the Coast, do not despair.  You have another opportunity to enjoy some Chamber cookout fun.  On Tuesday, July 15, the Chamber will host the Chamber's Great American Cookout at the Chamber's office - again, I am NOT cooking , so come by and eat with confidence.  Thank you to First Florida Bank for sponsoring this sure to be fun event.

Now that your appetites have been (or will be) satiated, I would like to tell you about some other Chamber business.

EDATE – no, it is not what you might think based on that acronym.  EDATE, the Economic Development Ad Valorem Tax Exemption, will be on the ballot this August.

WHY? Because the EDATE program expired on March 9 of this year, and Florida law requires that the program go before the voters every 10 years.

WHAT IS THE EDATE PROGRAM ALL ABOUT? It is an economic tool that will allow Okaloosa County, the City of Destin, and Fort Walton Beach to remain competitive in their business recruitment.  EDATE provides an enticement to qualifying new or expanding businesses by giving these businesses an exemption of up to 100% of their property tax for up to 10 years.  The exact amount of the exemption depends on many things, but the three main factors are how much the company will invest in building new facilities and other capital projects, how many new jobs will be created, and the salary that will be paid to its employees relative to the average salary in Okaloosa County.

WHAT EDATE DOES NOT DO:  exempt qualifying companies from taxes payable to the school district, emergency personnel, or water districts.  These taxes will be paid with no adjustment allowed.  Also, the County has the option to remove the exemption if the company does not create the jobs it said it would.  EDATE is not intended to create more competition for existing businesses, but rather to encourage diversification in our business community.

WILL OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT START GIVING EXEMPTIONS FREELY AND OFTEN? While I certainly do not know the future, if history is any predictor, I do not think so.  The EDATE exemption has only been granted to five companies in the last 10 years.

WHAT ABOUT ALL THE PROPERTY TAXES THOSE NEW OR EXPANDING COMPANIES WILL NOT BE PAYING? In order to get the business to locate here or expand its current operations, it has to provide jobs - those who get these jobs will be paying taxes.  So those who are opposed to EDATE because of concerns that there will be a net loss of taxes, I ask, wouldn't you rather have some additional taxes due to new employees working or existing employees making a higher wage, rather than no taxes from the company because it did not chose to come here?

WHAT HAPPENS IF EDATE IS NOT APPROVED BY THE VOTERS? This area will be at a disadvantage when trying to market itself as a place to open new or expand existing businesses.   And our neighboring communities and states will start to look better and better to the company's bottom-line, although it is true that NO other area could ever visually be as attractive as our EMERALD COAST!

GOOD COMPANY.  If you vote in favor of EDATE you will be in good company.  The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners, the City of Fort Walton Beach, City of Destin, THIS CHAMBER, Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber, Niceville-Valparaiso Chamber, Crestview Area Chamber , the Building Industry Association of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, Northwest Florida Daily News, and the Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County are all in favor of continuing the EDATE program.

Until next time,

Amy Perry

2014 Destin Area Chamber Chairman
Pleat, Perry & Ritchie, P.A.