OUR PLACE
State Senator Stephen Nass and Lake Geneva City Council President Richard Hedlund go into it last Friday night.
There was a party on Friday night for all the sponsors and the participants. The Geneva Shore Report was not invited to that party, as it never is from year to year. Too bad. What happened between Hedlund and Nass, quoted from three sources that were there, was a classic philosophical duel.
Nass stated that he did not believe that any tax (he was referring to Lake Geneva’s attempt to gain permission to charge and share in this tax) is good for Lake Geneva and is opposed to any such tax. Hedlund was livid that Nass would say such a thing in public, as Hedlund is a big proponent of the tax to help Lake Geneva pay for services that are local in charges but for the benefit of so many visitors (the city just took care of 65,0000 of those in a great and generous way). The discussion became heated. Hedlund threatened to run an opposing candidate against State Senator Nass in the coming election, and Nass shot some rather nasty comments right back at the council president.
The GSR’s view is that Hedlund is defending the home turf and Nass, although Lake Geneva is part of his base of voters, is unsupportive and wrong. Hedlund better watch himself or he might wake up one morning to find out that he’s become a democrat.
Parking increases to $4 an hour hits downtown Lake Geneva at just the right moment.
But what of tomorrow, and beyond? The Winterfest celebration came just in time, as the new rates went into effect. The brunt of the glutted parking was taken up by visitors from Chicago, who have the money, spend the money, and are used to such high parking rates in so many places down south. The city was packed for two full days so the 1200 meters or so had to take in just over $4,000.00 an hour. Multiplying that number by eight gives a total of around $32,000 for the day, or $64,000 for the weekend, and that doesn’t include Friday. The parking increase can work, but what is the cost going to be for merchants as they now have to get by with local residents and considerably fewer visitors than during such a lavish celebration as Winterfest?
That question is going to remain out there as the remainder of a cold and much slower winter sets in.
Saturday Report of Winterfest Saturday, February 4, 2023
The local sales tax Hedlund wants is really a tax on the unlucky people who live in Lake Geneva. It will tax ALL e-commerce, all sales from Home Depot, Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Home Goods, ect… All businesses in Lake Geneva will be at a competitive disadvantage. Senator Steven Nass is correct this is really bad for everyone. This is really sticking it to the people who live in Lake Geneva.
Thanks for your input.