Comments so far on this story:

1. Steve K wrote on December 5, 2007 9:21 PM:
"I like the way you're thinking, Scott. Too bad, you're not on the city council."

2. ME-E wrote on December 6, 2007 12:44 AM:
"Bravo!"

3. Torrey Pines wrote on December 6, 2007 8:24 AM:
"Just another way to squeeze the public coffers for corporate enrichment. Yes, we all know that some of this comes back to the general fund in the form of the TOT. Big deal. The city has a multi billion dollar deficit. The council majority and Jerry Claus just gave a X-mas present to the People's Republic of Hotels and Hospitality. I'd be curious to find out what Steve Francis and the candidates running for council have to say about this topic. Any elected officials in this town care to start paying down some obligations? This house is headed for foreclosure and our parents are out giving gifts to all the wealthy neighbors. Wrap a big bow around this terrific present."

4. Sombrero wrote on December 6, 2007 8:43 AM:
"This is a biased, one sided, and seemingly ill-informed article. The original room tax money has been diverted for all sorts of unrelated expenses. The City Council spends all the money it can get and MORE and then cries that it needs more, more money. This disgraceful attempt by the Hotel industry came about only as a last resort by them to assure they have funds for marketing. Money that the City Council can't divert for other pet projects."

5. Xander wrote on December 6, 2007 8:51 AM:
"The hotel industry could spend some of their new slush fund on the bird-flu contingency plan that Mike McDowell, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the San Diego Lodging Industry Association, asked for in the editorial, Don’t Let Birds Kill SD Tourism. link"

6. Larry wrote on December 6, 2007 9:18 AM:
"Sanders isn't worth the time to discuss. It's clear that he's a lame excuse for a mayor. The real story is the fact that the city can now use that money for more important things that improve residents' lives. Tourism is surely important, but so are safe streets and clean water. Let's hope that the city council continues to cut back on the donations."

7. Christopher Hall wrote on December 6, 2007 9:35 AM:
"Pat Flannery has a great article on this subject also, together these two pieces are complimentary. Pat refers to the 'privatization of the TOT' and that is really another example of the corporations taking over the government, which is fascism. Socialism is the opposite, where government takes over the corporations. Fascism in San Diego has its roots in the good old boys establishment, and the hoteliers are siblings and cousins of the developers (Manchester is both.) Fascism is the ruling class giving orders to its young, impressionable freshmen-like little local politicians, particularly the city council members. Sanders may not be young, but he is impressionable, and when the big time rollers run their businesses, they give the local politicians and their staff orders to follow. Multi-millionaires call, the phone gets picked up and the 'boss' tells them what to do, hence the TOT vote."

8. Joe wrote on December 6, 2007 9:38 AM:
"I find this 'tourism' district gross. San Diego's TOT is way below competitive markets. As mentioned, the voters have turned down raising the TOT twice (why??, because the hotels (Manchester) have effectively brainwashed the locals that an increase will impact their competitive position, please!). Now the hotel industry has effectively taken the TOT increase for themselves. They will make the TOT competitive and once easy source of new revenue is now gone. The TOT should be used to supplement the general fund. Tourists do impact the city... They use the roads, ambulances and fire trucks make frequent trips to the hotels, the litter, etc. Now this 'district' is taking tax monies away from the general fund so hotels with historically high occupancy rates can 'market themselves' I can't wait for the car rental folks to do it next..."

9. Billy Bob Henry wrote on December 6, 2007 9:40 AM:
"It's an illegal tax, and I am going to file suit and blow it out of the water/taxpayers pocket. You can all it anything you want, but if it look like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck-it's a duck."

10. Sparky wrote on December 6, 2007 9:58 AM:
"Great Job Scott... The owners of hotels and motels in San Diego put this together to sidestep any future attempts at a TOT by the City. They can now point to their "self assessment" as a reason to oppose any new TOT for public safety or the arts. Papa Doug was opposed to this self assessment as well as his opposition to the last attempt at a TOT. Sanders is well aware of this and he opposed any cuts to ConViz so as not to ruffle an feathers. The moneys the new "self assessment" will generate is far and above as you said what the City was giving. The loss is to public safety and the citizens. City keeps $10 million and they spend $30 million on themselves. Sounds fair to me..."

11. Realist wrote on December 6, 2007 10:57 AM:
"Apparently everyone has forgotten how badly the ConVis budget was slashed before all this began. Other cities spend hundreds of millions of dollars promoting themselves and we are worried about how to fund $10 million? Don't forget, tourism is a huge industry that keeps a ton of us employed. The city council won't give the $10M back to us, so who cares if they get to "save" it. They will just spend it on some other special interest. Now, however, it just got more expensive for visitors to stay in San Diego. Brilliant!!"

12. Sal D'Anna wrote on December 6, 2007 1:37 PM:
"This illegal tax assessment violates CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 11 LOCAL GOVERNMENT SEC. 11. (a) The Legislature may not delegate to a private person or body power to make, control, appropriate, supervise, or interfere with county or municipal corporation improvements, money, or property, or to levy taxes or assessments, or perform municipal functions."

13. Sombrero wrote on December 6, 2007 2:10 PM:
"What a bunch of Socialistic, ill informed comments. The Hotel/Tourism business brings money and jobs to San Diego. You guys seem to think that Big Business is bad. It is businesses and capitalists that get things done, produce goods and services, creates jobs. The only alternative is Big Government that builds BIG bureaucracies, take our money and get little done."

14. Sal D'Anna wrote on December 6, 2007 3:17 PM:
"Sombrero, I think you are the one that is misinformed. The enactment of this TMD is Socialism at its best. The definition of socialism is an economic system in which the production and distribution of goods are controlled substantially by the government rather than by private enterprise. The Hotel/Tourism industry can and should promote and pay for their own advertising. Associations are created for this exact purpose. The City should spend TOT funds on infrastructure and our beaches while the Hotels should spend their own money to get tourists to stay at their hotels."

15. Steve K wrote on December 6, 2007 3:57 PM:
"Wasn't it a ConVis party for convention promoters, pitured in the U/T, that featured sushi--served on the belly of a bikini clad model? The idea that we need to spend tax dollars to promote San Diego is ridiculous. There are already too many people here for our infrastructure and government services to support. I'm a 55 year old San Diego native. How have I benefited from tax dollars spent on the tourist industry or any government promotion of San Diego?"

16. Billy Bob Henry wrote on December 6, 2007 4:19 PM:
"13. Sombrero wrote on December 6, 2007 3:10 PM: "What a bunch of Socialistic, ill informed comments. The Hotel/Tourism business brings money and jobs to San Diego. ...... Hey listen you little corporate welfare queen, if BIG BUSINESS want to bring in money and jobs-GREAT, but they can pay for it themselves, I am NOT their private bank, nor are the hard woriking taxpayers, got it. THEY make plenty of money on THEIR own, if THEY want to make more they can invest in THEIR business with THEIR money-not taxpayers. Man, you and your propaganda sound like one of these little government workers who always complain about not having enough money. I swear, everyone in this county is trying to put their greedy little grubby hands into my pcket and steal my hard earned money."

17. D wrote on December 6, 2007 5:59 PM:
"Holy Mother of G....I'm on BillyBob's side on something...oh help me Lord...If Baron Hilton wants more people in his dang hotel, then he can fork over some of his own bucks to buy an ad in an out of town paper. It is a TAX! It is 2 percent on top of the room rate, added to 10.5 percent of the rest of the TAXES already on top of the room rate. And the citizens get NONE of it."

18. Dave L wrote on December 6, 2007 10:15 PM:
"The government should get out of this marketing business. San Diego can market itself - especially if the City spends their money and time on the draws we already have. Like keeping sewage out of our oceans and keeping our parks beautiful."

19. jjinsd wrote on December 7, 2007 11:29 AM:
"Mike Aguirre, is this legal?"