EDC to construct policy for events tax money

The Woodlands Township Board of Directors agreed to table a plan on how best to use the Events Admissions Tax Fund, allowing The Woodlands Economic Development Committee more time to formulate a policy to bring back to the board.

Created by the 2009 Texas Legislature, the Events Admissions Tax has earned nearly $261,000 in its two years of existence. Nick Wolda, president of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the money comes from a 5 percent tax on tickets sold to events at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.

Funding from the tax "may be used only to support cultural education in the district," according to the legislation, SB 1373.

Wolda provided three suggestions for the use of the funding at a Sept. 19 meeting: programs such as The Woodlands Founder's Day event scheduled for October 2014 or Arts in the Park, capital arts-related projects, such as a performing arts center or museum, or for contributions to local organizations and cultural education programs.

The board agreed to have the EDC re-examine the possible uses for the fund, create a policy for the usage of that money and return to the board of directors for a final approval.

"We need to come back with a little more focus," director Nelda Blair said.

Director Mike Bass suggested some events, such as Founder's Day, may not be not be eligible for funding based on the wording of the legislation.

"We are limited in the ways to give donations, but this is a way to help cultural arts," Bass said. "I'm not sure Founder's Day fits the requirements of a cultural arts foundation."