State House passes permanent funding source for ‘Pure Michigan’ tourism campaign
By APThursday, December 17, 2009
Michigan House OKs funding for tourism campaign
LANSING, Mich. — Michigan’s award-winning “Pure Michigan” tourism campaign could be getting a new source of funding.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed three bills Thursday that would set aside money from car rentals and from a portion of Michigan’s sales and use tax collections on certain tourism-related businesses.
The money would be used to pump millions of dollars into tourism promotion.
Supporters say tourism provides more than 193,000 jobs statewide. They worried it would have suffered if funding for the “Pure Michigan” campaign had been slashed from $30 million to $5.4 million as planned.
The Michigan Municipal League and Michigan Townships Association worry that they may lose state revenue sharing money under the arrangement.
The bills now go to the Senate.
