Battle of Selma Cancelled After 3 Decades Due To New Mayor

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Got a reference on the 83,000. I have heard the event has been declining for several years.

Per the Selma Times it was $83.000 but that was city, county and state. (I edited it) According to the 2014 article the attendance was the largest up to that year. Its still doesn't make any since, isn't that part of what city services are for. People still come in for the event spend money on hotels, restaurants and other businesses.
 
Things get weird in this day and time and this is Alabama to boot. IMHO Sales Tax revenue for the City should be public record. Someone should get the figures for last year. Get the figures for this year and have the data for next year. I would not trust Newspaper figures unless you find where they got them. I do know that after 2015 numerous reenactors stopped coming because of political stuff. I was told that '15 and '16 were remarkably down.
 
I have been been a part of it for over 15 years and yes the last 2 years were down but the current issues and the welcome shown by the city were also down.
 
As per 12 WSFA News on Feb. 1 2017.

“This event is not a city event. It is a private event and as we have told the event planners, we’re willing to work with them but being responsible stewards of taxpayer money, we cannot fully subsidize any event,” he said. “We have to pay personnel, be it police, fire or public works. Citizens don’t pay taxes for us to subsidize private events so we’re just trying to recoup some of that funding so it won’t be a big impact on our city budget.”

"The mayor said he was disappointed to hear about the cancellation of the reenactment through the media. He stressed that payment of in-kind services will be required for all events, including the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee."


It would seem possible that volunteers could perform some of the services normally provided by city police, fire and public works. This could reduce the cost of the event.
 
This event brought in over $83.000 in city, county and state sales tax last year so we are still trying to figure out the math on this one.
Are there any other local counties/municipalities that would welcome the increased sales tax revenue from such an event ?

Declining interest or not, 83K or even 5k tax revenue from a weekend reenactment/living history is a lot of money for many (if not most) rural areas.
 
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Are there any other local counties/municipalities that would welcome the increased sales tax revenue from such an event ?

Declining interest or not, 83K or even 5k tax revenue from a weekend reenactment/living history is a lot of money for many (if not most) rural areas.

Then it wouldn't be the Battle of Selma. Our meeting last night went well and they are looking at other options on private property. Plus we have heard that the local business owner are very upset with the mayor.

As per 12 WSFA News on Feb. 1 2017.

“This event is not a city event. It is a private event and as we have told the event planners, we’re willing to work with them but being responsible stewards of taxpayer money, we cannot fully subsidize any event,” he said. “We have to pay personnel, be it police, fire or public works. Citizens don’t pay taxes for us to subsidize private events so we’re just trying to recoup some of that funding so it won’t be a big impact on our city budget.”

"The mayor said he was disappointed to hear about the cancellation of the reenactment through the media. He stressed that payment of in-kind services will be required for all events, including the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee."


It would seem possible that volunteers could perform some of the services normally provided by city police, fire and public works. This could reduce the cost of the event.

We are looking at all possible ways to keep the event where it has been for over 30 years. The reason the mayor heard about the cancellation of the event thru the media is he would not meet with the organizer and all correspondence was thru his deputy. This $22K fee was sprung on us 2 1/2 months before the event. There was NO sitting down with the event organizer and trying to come up a solution or how about even "Starting next year you fees will be $22K" or $11k this year and the $22k next. Nothing but, here it is take or leave it.
 
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