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Fishkind Conversations: How Should Florida Fund Tourism Promotion And Spend The 'Bed Tax'?

90.7's economic analyst Dr. Hank Fishkind, President of Fishkind and Associates
90.7's economic analyst Dr. Hank Fishkind, President of Fishkind and Associates

The 2018 state legislative session begins next week, and lawmakers will again take up one of Florida's perennial hot-button issues – tourism promotion. Last year, a dispute over the topic between Governor Rick Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran nearly disrupted the session. And this year, Scott's budget proposal requests $100 million for Visit Florida, the state’s tourism promotion group.

Bills have also been filed to allow tourism development taxes to be used for a wider array of public services and facilities.

Economic analyst Hank Fishkind takes 90.7's Nicole Darden Creston through the financials related to promoting one of Florida’s most important economic sectors.

Click the Play Audio button above to hear their conversation.

Nicole came to Central Florida to attend Rollins College and started working for Orlando’s ABC News Radio affiliate shortly after graduation. She joined Central Florida Public Media in 2010. As a field reporter, news anchor and radio show host in the City Beautiful, she has covered everything from local arts to national elections, from extraordinary hurricanes to historic space flights, from the people and procedures of Florida’s justice system to the changing face of the state’s economy.