Hampton Inn Seagrove Beach on Chateau Hotel Property

Area South of the Bay is not 30A, it is South Walton - millions have gone into branding "South Walton" - not 30A. 30A is a road (and a brand by a "carpetbagger"). Walton County extends well past Sandestin into Miramar Beach. Which many people think is Destin. It'd be interesting to do a poll and see if folks in Miramar Beach would rather be part of Destin or a new SoWal city. Sandestin wants to be left alone and not be taxed any more. Mack Bayou to Inlet Beach makes sense as a community.

Part of Destin? How about asking do they want to be part of any city. I live in Miramar Beach and I say Hell no! I moved here in 2007 and begin searching for a permanent place immediately and ruled out 30A because of traffic in summer and the distance to larger retail areas and Destin because it is a city with the extra layer of government and taxes. Miramar Beach is perfect me just like other areas are perfect for those who choose to live there. I moved away from a city and wish it to remain that way.

The beaches are not the only thing in SOWAL..but they are what creates the $$ that could be a little more evenly distributed. I have lived bayside of 98 for 30 years...on a dirt road until just a few years ago..my kids went to school in a building built in 1938. We only got an elementary school when it was determined to be so costly to repair the existing one, the high school was built only after the outrage from Freeport getting a brand new high school (but to save $$ we had to use the leftover plans from Freeport HS). I might add that SWHS opened over capacity while FHS was well under. There are many more shortcomings when it comes to how money is doled out to SOWAL..How long do you think the bridges along 30A would be tolerated in NOWAL? The condition of 30A in general is horrible, but all you see is a road crew throwing some asphalt in the holes and moving on. And while the north funded the south long before the south became a tax base entity of its own ..they really didnt have to fund a lot..up until the mid 90s,I would have to call a minimum of 6 times before they would even come GRADE the dirt road I lived on. It was so bad that we had to move from our home and rent in Seagrove while I was pregnant because emergency vehicles couldnt promise they could get to me should something happen. Bay Drive?? can anyone tell me when the last time it was resurfaced was? I could go on and on...but this entire post has absolutely nothing to do with the topic of this thread.....

According to the figures Bob Hudson posted those paying the "lions share" receive the "lions share"! This isn't about a "donor community" it looks like more of a "greedy community" IMHO.

As for the dirt road...you bought your home knowing it was on a dirt road and then complain when they don't grade it to suit your pregnancy issue? Wow....just wow!

Ask the school district how many times over the years the South was receiving the "lions share" that they have been unable to pick up children in NoWal to get to school because the roads are impassable. The kids don't mind (its a free day for them) and the parents don't complain because they "get" the fact they live in an isolated rural area and have chosen to live that way.

Those numbers only show property tax "revenues" by North/South not expenditures.

The county system does not track expenditures by geographic location.

The second part shows where the county Allocated those revenues by department funded with "property taxes". Other departments and activities are funded with other revenue streams.

For example of the allocation of revenues for the Sheriff's department 83% came from the South.

I seriously doubt that the Sheriff expends 83% of that allocation in the South but there are no figures available that shown where he spends his budget.

Thanks Bob, I looked at the numbers and put them on a spreadsheet, and miraculously, the percentages all added up. I wondered if the numbers actually worked the way the allocation indicated.

Thanks Bob, I looked at the numbers and put them on a spreadsheet, and miraculously, the percentages all added up. I wondered if the numbers actually worked the way the allocation indicated.

LOL -

Had you asked I would have gladly shared the spreadsheet with you. Those numbers were as of 10-1-2014.

The Budget changes almost monthly as they adjust the budget to recognize unanticipated revenues from grants, etc.

According to the figures Bob Hudson posted those paying the "lions share" receive the "lions share"! This isn't about a "donor community" it looks like more of a "greedy community" IMHO.

As for the dirt road...you bought your home knowing it was on a dirt road and then complain when they don't grade it to suit your pregnancy issue? Wow....just wow!

Ask the school district how many times over the years the South was receiving the "lions share" that they have been unable to pick up children in NoWal to get to school because the roads are impassable. The kids don't mind (its a free day for them) and the parents don't complain because they "get" the fact they live in an isolated rural area and have chosen to live that way.

Well, I was under the impression when I purchased my property that it was on a county maintained road...they never did alot of "maintaining" but hey, I could have had one of those realtors that tell people they have a "private beach" huh? As for kids getting a day off because the road is impassable...how about the months on end that kids in SOWAL had to take a ferry because the bridge was out? Or the extended trip around because the ferry was down??? they never got alot of "days off", we were still required to have them at school every day.

Well, I was under the impression when I purchased my property that it was on a county maintained road...they never did alot of "maintaining" but hey, I could have had one of those realtors that tell people they have a "private beach" huh? As for kids getting a day off because the road is impassable...how about the months on end that kids in SOWAL had to take a ferry because the bridge was out? Or the extended trip around because the ferry was down??? they never got alot of "days off", we were still required to have them at school every day.

A state maintained bridge that got hit by a barge. Maybe blaming the wrong entity for kids not making it to school.

Youre right Bob, but it was still the only way for the county buses to pick up the kids and take them across the bay because we didnt have the schools down here. As far "isolated, rural".. not really a term I associate with SOWAL. But hey... things were alot different back then ...glad my kids made it thru ok, kinda wish SOWAL WAS isolated and rural..and I am still not going anywhere and will defend my little slice of this barrier island for as long as I can. Have to add this anecdote tho.. my road was never really maintained, (even with 7 residences on it) until the former road guy(Mr. Fleet himself) decided to come to my house and see what all the uproar was about. When his 4wd county truck sunk up past the doors, two houses to the north of mine and he wanted to have my husband use HIS 4wd to pull him out or use my phone... wasnt long after that and the rest of the residents threatening legal action that they decided to add some dirt and start maintaining this little road.

Originally Posted by Misty
According to the figures Bob Hudson posted those paying the "lions share" receive the "lions share"! This isn't about a "donor community" it looks like more of a "greedy community" IMHO.

As for the dirt road...you bought your home knowing it was on a dirt road and then complain when they don't grade it to suit your pregnancy issue? Wow....just wow!

Ask the school district how many times over the years the South was receiving the "lions share" that they have been unable to pick up children in NoWal to get to school because the roads are impassable. The kids don't mind (its a free day for them) and the parents don't complain because they "get" the fact they live in an isolated rural area and have chosen to live that way.

School Data

well Bob ..that table has even myself wondering why the funding per student is what it is. Any ideas?

The table shows that:

• 
  [*=1]There are 3095 students in the schools South of the Bay (Sowal)

• 
  [*=1]That property taxes paid by property owners south of the Bay pay $64.9 Million dollars in School taxes

• 
  [*=1]When you divide the taxes paid in Sowal by the number of students in Sowal they pay an average of $20,997 for each student.

• 
  [*=1]That there are 4727 students in the Schools north of the Bay (Norwal)

• 
  [*=1]That property taxes paid by property owners north of the Bay pay 9.3 Million dollars in School taxes

• 
  [*=1]When you divide the taxes paid in Norwal by the number of students in Norwal they pay an average of $1,969 for each student

The table shows that: [*=1]There are 3095 students in the schools South of the Bay (Sowal) [*=1]That property taxes paid by property owners south of the Bay pay $64.9 Million dollars in School taxes [*=1]When you divide the taxes paid in Sowal by the number of students in Sowal they pay an average of $20,997 for each student. [*=1]That there are 4727 students in the Schools north of the Bay (Norwal) [*=1]That property taxes paid by property owners north of the Bay pay 9.3 Million dollars in School taxes [*=1]When you divide the taxes paid in Norwal by the number of students in Norwal they pay an average of $1,969 for each student They were provided to show a poster the accurate data on who pays. These numbers have no bearing on what the school system spends on each child or in geographic terms That data is not available.

I wonder how much lodging tax So pays v. No ?

Those numbers were as of 10-1-2015.

Really? 6 months ahead?

The lions share is "allocated" to the South end.

Please post your data and source !

I wonder how much lodging tax So pays v. No ?

If you are speaking of the bed tax/tourist tax on short-term rentals, that is only collected south of the bay, since that it is the area for the TDC special district.

If you are speaking of the bed tax/tourist tax on short-term rentals, that is only collected south of the bay, since that it is the area for the TDC special district.

that's what I'm saying. BUT does all tax money stay South or is it shared. Bet it's shared. That's a lot of $$$ if all owners pay it.

It's four percent collected by the owners from the tourists. The law requires the bed tax to be used for purposes that promote tourism and for beach nourishment (one of the four "cents"). The commissioners have recently gotten attorney general opinions and made legislative findings to provide for some of the funds to be used for such purposes as bike path maintenance and construction and acquisition of land for parking and beach accesses in the TDC's special district. In the last couple of years some funds have been allocated for promotion of events north of the bay such as Chautauqua and Marvel of Flight. I think $20,000 per year is now budgeted for these purposes.

that's what I'm saying. BUT does all tax money stay South or is it shared. Bet it's shared. That's a lot of $$$ if all owners pay it.

Owners don't pay a bed tax.

Owners don't pay a bed tax.

they DO.......( I'll Splane it to you), renters pay bed tax...so if an owner isn't paying bed taxes (to county) he's either not renting or keeping the $$$ he charged the renter...My Point....may be You should read and try to comprehend what someone is saying, instead of just randomly typing.

they DO.......( I'll Splane it to you), renters pay bed tax...so if an owner isn't paying bed taxes (to county) he's either not renting or keeping the $$$ he charged the renter...My Point....may be You should read and try to comprehend what someone is saying, instead of just randomly typing.

Please explain it to me too, because I don't understand your post. My understanding of Poppy's post is that owners don't pay bed tax out of their own pockets. They either act as a collector and pass on what they collected from renters to the TDC, or they don't collect it at all, either because they don't rent their property or they are stealing it from their renters and putting it in their pocket.

Please post your data and source !

According to your own posts the majority of money is allocated to the south end.

they DO.......( I'll Splane it to you), renters pay bed tax...so if an owner isn't paying bed taxes (to county) he's either not renting or keeping the $$$ he charged the renter...My Point....may be You should read and try to comprehend what someone is saying, instead of just randomly typing.

Exactly as notdeadyet explained. Owners don't pay it, renters do. It's the owners responsibility to collect and forward just like a shop collecting sales tax and forwarding. I guess in your mind you consider it to be your money once it's in your hands.

If you are speaking of the bed tax/tourist tax on short-term rentals, that is only collected south of the bay, since that it is the area for the TDC special district.

repeat: that's what I'm saying. BUT does all tax money stay South or is it shared? Bet it's shared. That's a lot of $$$ if all owners pay it.........
I'll make it simple so even you "poppy" can understand and then I'm done....1) take time to read Miz statement: " speaking of the bed tax on rentals"? 2) my answer," that's what I'm saying". 3) even you should have seen the whole conversation was about Collected Taxes and that's a lot of $$$$$$ (as stated) and of course owners need to pay only if its collected. I guess the high humidity today confused your mind? Ain't SOWAL great ?

According to your own posts the majority of money is allocated to the south end.

Then you don't understand the table as it does not show where money is spent.

It only shows where it came from.