Another View – Durham Tourism Funds 43% of Teachers, 1/3rd of Public Safety

It is budget time in Durham and as usual the discussion is limited to what to cut vs. how to generate more revenue. I was told once by a County executive that he never worried about the revenue side because it is political. He clarified that by political he meant “raising the rates.”

So now may be a good time to put the $40 million annually that tourism generates for the two local governments in Durham (City and County) into context. But I probably first need to reiterate that tourism development is economic development.

Tax revenue generated each year by tourism just to fund local Durham City and County government (as quantified by IHS Global Insight and DKS using scientific methodology,) is enough to:

• Pay the FTE costs for 700 of Durham’s 1600 public school teachers or about 43%.

• Or, on the City side, 1/3rd of all public safety personnel, e.g. police, fire, emergency communications and emergency management.

It isn’t just sad at budget time that more than a few officials fail to “recall” the significance of visitor centric economic and cultural development spearheaded by DCVB. But that means they don’t always realize that destination marketing is also a sustainable “budget revenue” solution.

By neglecting to fully re-invest the portion of these tourism revenues, eligible under State House Guidelines, back into marketing to draw Durham’s full share of visitors, the City and County are missing out on another combined $17 million each year (the average of 5 different methodologies.)

And the $17 million yield is without spending another dime on tourism infrastructure. Just deploying the full amount eligible for DCVB marketing will fuel overall annual tourism generated tax revenues just for local government from $40 million to $57 million annually.

Durham is not only fortunate to have a fully accredited community marketing agency, the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau but its nationally recognized CEO Shelly Green is recognized by experts as a best practice at connecting these dots.

Building Social Business

Christopher Gergen, Durham native and Duke professor is going to speak at Durham Rotary today about social entrepreneurism and a movement he’s started here called Bull City Forward to leverage and deepen Durham’s significant and historical brand leadership in this area.  Yes, his father is David Gergen, also a Durham native and often on national television because he has been a special advisor to four US Presidents and he is a great author.

I first heard the term used in reference to social capitalists back when Fast Company magazine first began showcasing them and included Self-Help Credit Union here in Durham.  Then DCVB honored many others here in Durham’s Annual Tribute Luncheon last year.

Actually, this year’s luncheon held last week and as reviewed here by Bob Ashley in the Herald Sun, Durham’s hometown newspaper, may be part of this movement as well.

Now Muhammad Yunus, originator of the idea of microcredit has a new book reviewed by Devin Leonard in “Off The Shelf” in the New York Times yesterday.  He sees social business being a core of a new economy on a much, much broader scale.  I haven’t read the book of course but I can already see myself in agreement.

If not as a “it will,” then as a “wouldn’t it be great.”

And no, social in this context as in nearly all other contexts has anything to do with socialism as it is misunderstood, mis-references and demonized so often these days.  Otherwise why are all those traditional banks now chasing after microcredit?

300 + Motorcycles

My first group ride was a big one, at least for me.  Six bikes met at Rick’s Diner this morning for breakfast and then headed down 751 along Jordon Lake for the start of the Triangle Ride for Kids to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

We ended up in the middle and 300 bikes (all sizes, makes and years) is how many I counted before we rolled out.  Probably 100 miles total and it obviously took a lot out of me I napped for an hour…well maybe more.  Quite a site and sound and I hope we raised more than the $150,000+ plus last year.  Didn’t hear.

Don’t know if it was allergies or my introvert self getting the life sucked out of me by so many people.  But I learned a lot.  I know how now.  And I’ll stick with solo, passenger and small group rides.  Year 1 has nearly passed and I put 1800 miles down.

BTW, you’re right if you’re thinking that Victory in the foreground is dressed up as a Dragon, head and all.

Ride For Kids

Not too late to ride in the motorcycle Ride for Kids benefit tomorrow, south of Durham in Chatham County along Jordan Lake where Farrington and Hwy 64 meet up between Pittsboro and Cary at the White Oak Recreation Area.

The directions read between Raleigh and Pittsboro and that’s true from 10,000 feet but Raleigh is several towns over which is a key distinction for those riding in from other areas.

This is the seventh ride in this area to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.  Below is photo of the research lab at Duke University, which must get grants from the Foundation to be featured so prominently on its website.

Maybe I’ll see you there.  I typically ride solo or with a passenger on these incredible North Carolina country roads but tomorrow, I ride in a posse.

Many of the people who read this blog live in other cities, towns and even countries.  But here is a list of 30 or 40 rides and maybe one will occur nearer you.

Digitalizing Family Photographs

I tried scanning more than 100 family photographs back in the late ‘90’s. They were okay. I love taking photographs but I also greatly value the people, memories and artifacts they capture.

But over the months since I retired, I went with a company called Scan Cafe. First they scanned over 2,100 prints, slides and negatives, many of which had never been seen and many going back into the 1800’s.

I don’t have them back yet but I can see their work online as they finish burning them to DVD’s which I’ll give to my Mom, Sisters, Daughter and other family members. I’m not sure but I may work with my sisters then to put the originals in safe deposit.

Scan Cafe, did some correction and restoration work and would have done more. I ended up keeping 1700+ of the scans and you only pay for those. It has been a very easy and efficient and quality experience.

During a recent trip back to the Pacific Northwest, I dug out another 500+ and sent them for scanning. Scan Cafe sends you mailing labels once you make an order and a small deposit based on your estimate of the number and type of images. This time they are all prints.

Nice part is once they are scanned, you can share the link with other members of your family so they can see and enjoy them online while waiting for the DVDs.

I enjoy many of the images for the archeological finds too…like seeing former homes and family automobiles from my youth or my parents and grandparents time…or the mid’70’s 16’ closed cuddy Neptune Sailboat and Fiat 124 Spider shown in this blog from a time when I worked in Spokane (that’s Lake Coeur d’ Alene in Northern Idaho.) I was crazy not to keep those but then again, to me, the photos are priceless.