[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by Abby10

Ok....now I'm confused. I thought the music in the squares was paid for by the businesses, not by the residents through taxes or amenities. But I've been known to be wrong before - just ask my husband

My understanding is that it is a combination of tourism revenue from Sumter County plus money from the downtown businesses (which I believe is a requirement).

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by Abby10

Ok....now I'm confused. I thought the music in the squares was paid for by the businesses, not by the residents through taxes or amenities. But I've been known to be wrong before - just ask my husband

I asked your husband and he said "All the time".

[biker1]

I will say it again - if tax money is involved then transparency is required. Contracts in the public arena are always open unless you can argue that the information is proprietary. Your argument is without merit.

Originally Posted by JoMar

Using the "tax money" so we have a right to know is just wrong. We are all subsidized, or who we work for, or tax breaks from local municipalities or any other nunmber of tax assists would then make us all subject to the transparency
clause. Since I pay for those tax assists do I have a right to see your individual financials since you benefit.....I think we would all fight that. The "curious" is abnother matter and we are all that.....but do we have a right to know...I think, and hope, not.

[biker1]

Scooter the DJ might be popular but so is rap music. I fail to understand why either is popular. Just saying ...

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

I am sure that popularity has a lot to do with their pay scale. Scooter the DJ is very popular and a very good entertainer. Rocky and the Rollers, Uncle Bob's Rockshop, Bobby Blackman would also make the top tier.

We have great times at the squares and personally, I do not care where the payment comes from.

Where else can you find entertainment 365 days of the year?

[Birdie Dreamer]

Originally Posted by biker1

I will say it again - if tax money is involved then transparency is required. Contracts in the public arena are always open unless you can argue that the information is proprietary. Your argument is without merit.

Do you believe that you are entitled to see the salary of every employee of a company who is working on a contract let out by the county, state and federal government? If not, how is this different?

[biker1]

I am entitled to see the contracts if they are spending tax payer money. Look it up.

[/I]

Originally Posted by Birdie Dreamer

Do you believe that you are entitled to see the salary of every employee of a company who is working on a contract let out by the county, state and federal government? If not, how is this different?

[joldnol]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

It is totally believable that Scooter the DJ would be higher paid based on the the scale of popularity. But if that sliding scale holds true how does a large band that starts playing in the squares get paid adequately? Just saw Little Jake and the Soul Searchers out of Gainesville play at Brownwood last night. Three horns, keyboard player, bass guitar, and a lead singer. I guess that maybe you have to start somewhere in a new market and work your way up the pay scale. But even that seems very subjective. BTW, they were very entertaining, and there was a nice crowd. I think they have played in SS before also, so they are on their way.

they were great

[aln]

Originally Posted by biker1

I am entitled to see the contracts if they are spending tax payer money. Look it up.

[/I]

I believe the entertainment at Sumter & Brownwood is made available on a GRANT (in full or in part) from Sumter County. You might be able to see the GRANT but not necessary how the entity receiving the grant doles it out.

Then again I might be wrong

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

We just returned from watching Scooter the DJ. While there, my wife asked me if I knew what they were paid. I have no idea; does anyone know what they are paid or is that one of the "secrets" we're not supposed to know?

It's a secret.

[pqrstar]

I think the tax is generated from the tourism industry.
Don't hotels and rentals charge a tourist tax?

http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/forms/current/dr15tdt.pdf

The Tourist Development Tax Rate for Sumter County is 2%

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by JoMar

Using the "tax money" so we have a right to know is just wrong. We are all subsidized, or who we work for, or tax breaks from local municipalities or any other nunmber of tax assists would then make us all subject to the transparency
clause. Since I pay for those tax assists do I have a right to see your individual financials since you benefit.....I think we would all fight that. The "curious" is abnother matter and we are all that.....but do we have a right to know...I think, and hope, not.

I think that the tax dollars are paid to the Villages entertainment department. It is used along with money from merchants around the squares and I believe some other money. The entertainment department decides who will play and how much they will be paid. I think that the amount of money that goes to the entertainment dept is known but I don't know if taxpayers have a right to know the details of the individual contracts.

[Bonny]

As many other things in the Villages, this was all in place when we moved here. That is one of the many reasons that made us move here.
We didn't question it then and have no need to question it now. I love it.
The time to ask these questions, if they are important to someone, is before they move here.
Just sayin'.

[Abby10]

Originally Posted by tomwed

I asked your husband and he said "All the time".

LOL - I can believe that! Love your lighthearted humor on TOTV, tomwed. We all need that here sometimes. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving with your kids (saw that on another thread).

[golf2140]

Originally Posted by Bonny

As many other things in the Villages, this was all in place when we moved here. That is one of the many reasons that made us move here.
We didn't question it then and have no need to question it now. I love it.
The time to ask these questions, if they are important to someone, is before they move here.
Just sayin'.

As Always Nonny is spot on. Leave if alone. It could wind up like the Buffalo

[ROCKETMAN]

Entertainment is paid by a combination of venfors, merchants, and a $60,000 grant for tourism from sumter county which covers both squares in sumter county. That comes out to about $80.00 per night paid from the tax.