SB 756 and Tourism in PA

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Senate Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee

Wednesday, June 3, 2015
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
East Wing, Hearing Room 8E-B

{Meeting}

Senate Bill 756, Printer’s No. 818 (Schwank-Vogel) – Bill Summary, amends Title 64 (Public Authorities and Quasi-Public Corporations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) by further providing for the First Industries Program expiration provision. Specifically this legislation eliminates subsection (e.2) of section 1552 (relating to First Industries Program) a sunset provision that provides after July 15, 2015, that no Farm Credit Institution under the Farm Credit Act of 1971 shall be eligible for a loan under the First Industries Program.

  • [A01679] (Ward) Amendment Summary – This amendment eliminates two additional references to the July 15, 2015, date in subsection (e) (relating to loan guarantees) as follows:
  • Subsection (e)(2)(i) is amended to maintain the $500,000 private funds investment option (vs. the $1 million amount).
  • Subsection (e)(3.1) is amended to allow loan guarantees of 51% to 90% of the loan principal to assist in the financing of a project related to agriculture.

{Hearing}

The subject of this committee hearing is PA Tourism and the impact and status of marketing/promoting PA travel and tourism (both locally and statewide). The tourism industry is an important and integral part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s economy (i.e. tax revenues, jobs, overall economic impact, etc.) and PA must be cognizant of where it is currently positioned (including in comparison to other states). Among the topics that will be specifically focused on during this hearing are the following: Tourism funding under the Governor’s Executive Budget FY 15-16); SB 656 – Bill Summary (Ward) [Amends The County Code by providing for reforms and an increase in the maximum tax rate (from 3% to 5%) with regard to the local Hotel Room Rental Tax]; what constitutes acceptable marketing/promotion; Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership (PTP); SB 676 – Bill Summary (Ward) [Amends the Tax Reform Code of 1971 by providing for the PTP Statewide Tourism Marketing and Promoting (PTP ST MAP) Tax Credit]; other tourism statewide marketing funding concepts (i.e., portion of existing and/or future Sales and Use Tax revenues); and the impact of the PONY Baseball and Softball organization and the events it supports, including the PONY League World Series, has on tourism.

[9:05 A.M.] – Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership (PTP) Status Update (Initiatives and Steering Committee)

  • Lynn Burkholder, Program Director, PTP (Team PA Foundation) and President, RLB Marketing, LLC – Biography
  • Brandon Igdalsky, Member, Steering Committee, PTP and President and CEO, Pocono Raceway – Biography

[9:25 A.M.] – {panel} Washington Co. & York Co. – Tourism Promotion Agencies (TPAs) Local Tourism Marketing/Promotion Funding Needs and Uses and the Impact of PONY Baseball and Softball Events on Tourism

  • Washington County
    • Abraham [Abe] L. Key III, President and CEO, PONY Baseball and Softball – Biography
  • York County
    • Senator Scott Wagner, District 28, York County (Part) – Biography
    • Anne R. Druck, CDME, President & Board Member, York County Convention & Visitors Bureau – Biography | Testimony

[9:50 A.M.] – {panel} CCAP, PATT and PRLA – Local and Statewide Marketing and Legislative Initiatives

[10:25 A.M.] – PA Tourism – Statewide Marketing, Economic Impact, Budget (FY 15-16), DCED’s Role, Position on PTP and Legislative Initiatives, Etc.

  • Carrie Lepore, Deputy Secretary for Marketing, Tourism and Film, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) – Biography | Testimony

[10:50 A.M.] – The Pennsylvania Experience (an experiential mobile marketing vehicle/trailer designed to build awareness, drive traffic and promote PA tourism)

  • Diane McGraw, Executive Producer, The Pennsylvania Experience, President & Executive Producer, McGraw Productions and {former} Executive Director, Travel, Tourism and Film, DCED – Biography | Testimony

{Hearing Handouts}

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