Re: Owner-direct rentals questioned ( Pique news , April 30)
The hotel tax is fair. It distinguishes between professional accommodation management businesses profiteering substantially from taxpayer assets, and, individual taxpayers renting directly to offset their costs/reduce their losses and whose profits are re-invested back into taxpayer assets. Services like alluraDirect.com support BOTH lodging operator types. Nevertheless, it's the individual lodging vendors who actively manage their own advertisements, leads, bookings, transactions and guests, not the tools and services they use to make these tasks easier.
Here are the counterarguments to four points that rental managers routinely raise.
First, hotel tax isn't redistributing business away from rental managers. Managers charging hotel tax on alluraDirect.com compete and thrive alongside lodging vendors who don't. This hints that consumers are willing to pay for what they want. Taxing at the website level would double tax guests who are already paying hotel tax. It will also encourage tax evasion. Finally, it will shrivel vital B.C.-based, inbound business channels. They'll stop promoting Whistler and B.C., or, close their businesses rather than accept the liability of collecting and remitting hotel tax at a cost that exceeds their annual subscription fees. Mr Norris's scheme will thus also cost the province tourism technology jobs.
Second, consumers are smart. Suggesting that they don't or can't differentiate between products and consequent price differences insults their intelligence. Consumers using alluraDirect.com know precisely what they're getting because vendors describe their offer in extreme detail.
Third, independent lodging vendors and alluraDirect.com care deeply about arrivals and service. The proof is the plethora of thriving local support services serving independents. Our clients are additionally supported with 24/7 support technologies and services that complement their existing systems. Offer verifiable data that substantiates poor service by our vendors, and we'll innovate better solutions.
Finally, the playing field favours rental managers. It's so tilted that services like alluraDirect.com exist. Here's a brief list of infamous inequities:
• Rental managers have exclusive access to Whistler's official websites.
• Marketing websites acquired with taxpayer dollars benefit rental managers exclusively.
• Tourism Whistler invests substantial member fees in attracting group and tour operator business that disproportionately benefits rental managers.
• Tourism Whistler's marketing uses a call to action that excludes its fee-paying independents.
• Rental managers have exclusive access to all official Whistler 2010 lodging distribution channels and business opportunities.
• TA-zoned and commercially taxed properties managed by experienced independent hosts are excluded from "official" 2010 lodging sites and are officially ignored as a legitimate lodging product. Instead, TCUP accommodation licences are being granted to residential properties to fill lodging gaps.
• Independents have no access to accommodation packaging and buy-down programs that preferentially allow rental managers to offer cheaper packages, and for their guests to get GST refunds.
Comparatively, rental managers bask in a disproportionate abundance of everything they need to succeed, including superb inventory, top search engine rankings and great websites. They also enjoy local legitimacy, inclusion and influence. In contrast, systematic marginalization has forced the small independents to adopt alternative marketing and business solutions at their own expense to support their ownership dream. Independents contribute far beyond their taxpayer dollars. They bring self-funded incremental business into Whistler without consuming taxpayer resources or competing directly with rental managers on Whistler's official websites. They also boost Whistler's appeal and visitation volume by making it more affordable to more travelers. Mr. Norris et al. are simply lobbying to expand their vast market control and power. It's dishonest to cloak their cause in the fabric of "fairness."
Hotel taxes aren't the real problem or the solution. At the core, visitation revenues don't support escalating resort capacity, expenses and spending. Provincially, taxpayer resources should be spent lobbying Ms. McIntyre for meaningful change that 1) expands B.C.'s tourism market share and 2) shrinks tourism business and visitation barriers.
Locally, Whistler's cup overflows with enviable assets, yet its businesses still thirst for visitors willing to pay the "real" price. This glaring gap is an important discussion for another day.
Sue Chappel, B.Sc., Ph.D.
CEO & Founder
alluraDirect.com Vacation Rentals
Whistler Property Owner & Taxpayer
No benefit to prolonged closure
This letter was addressed to the trustees of Sea to Sky School District. A copy was forwarded to Pique for publication.
I was very distressed to learn that the board appeared to ignore the request of the majority of families with students attending Whistler Secondary School (WSS) to reduce the planned closure of WSS for the 2010 Winter Games and voted to adopt a calendar that has the school closed for almost one month. Despite a survey that garnered a 39 per cent response rate within less than a week and had two thirds of families supporting a reduced closure, the board voted to adopt a school calendar that has WSS closed for 1.5 weeks longer than the duration of the Winter Games.
From the outset of the discussions about school closures during the Olympics, representatives of the school board have told the parents that they will do what is best for the students from an educational perspective. At numerous meetings over the past two years, parents through their Parent Advisory Commissions and in responses to surveys have stated the opinion that the schools should not be closed unless: 1. There is a clear benefit to the students of the district for incurring the inconvenience of school closures, in the form of additional revenues that could be used for additional educational programs and/or educational curriculum tied into volunteering opportunities at the games. 2. The child care needs created by the school closures be addressed collectively by VANOC, the school board and the RMOW. 3. The days missed are made up with replacement days in the calendar, not by adding additional minutes to the school day. 4. The needs of the "at risk" students are taken into consideration and addressed. 5. That consideration be made for the impact a prolonged closure will have on the graduating students.
Now that VANOC has withdrawn its interest in renting Whistler Secondary, we appear to be moving forward with a prolonged school closure without any offsetting benefit. To date there are no programs in place for over 140 Grade 8 and 9 students who are too young to volunteer for the Olympics and too old for traditional day care programs. Nothing has been announced to provide assistance to at risk youth. The proposed school calendar for Whistler Secondary has eight less instructional days than the three other high schools in the district.
So far the only reason that has been put forward for proceeding with the closure, is it is too late to change course now. Does a survey in which two-thirds of the families request a reduced closure carry no weight with the board? If so, what is the point of having School Community Consultation Meetings such as the ones scheduled for this week throughout the district?
While a few local families may have planned to reap the Olympic windfall by renting their houses and taking extended vacations, the majority of us want to stay in Whistler and participate in showing the world what a great host mountain community we can be. Please assist us by keeping WSS open and our students productively occupied in the final weeks leading up to the Winter Games.
Jill Almond
Whistler parent
Let school board know how we feel
Last year during the arduous task of deciding how the schools would deal with school calendars during the Olympics, the Whistler Secondary School Parent Advisory Council (WSS PAC) sent a letter to the School Board of School District 48 requesting that our calendar stay aligned with the other Secondary Schools in our district, Feb. 12-28, 2010. The School Board decided that WSS would instead be closed from Feb. 5 to March 2. At that point there was some hope that VANOC might rent our school and therefore provide some funds to the School District for Olympic programming.
When WSS PAC received the news that VANOC had decided not to use our school, we requested, again, that our calendar align with the secondary schools in our district. WSS PAC surveyed the parents, which (116) came back exactly 2 to 1 in favour of the two-week break versus the one-month break. Some families made other plans with the understanding the school would be closed on the dates originally set. Parents supporting a two-week closure listed comments which have educational rationale, (i.e. my child is in their graduation year). Despite this survey the School Board has refused our request. We understand we are only one group which must be consulted.
What is the educational rationale for the two day (March 1 and 2) closure after the Olympic Games are completed? Why do we need Whistler Secondary closed the week before the Olympic Games open? Why don't we close the other secondary schools for the same dates? Why are we starting the second semester and then taking a one-month vacation two weeks later? Does this make sense? What stresses does this place on the students and staff? Or does this reduce stress due to unknown absenteeism during the Olympic Period? What will happen to the Grade 8 and 9 students that have working parents? They are too young to volunteer and too young to be home alone for a month. We need honest open discussion to answer these questions, make a final decision and move on.
Please note, at Whistler Secondary, this Thursday, May 21 at 3:30, the School Board is requesting all parents, elementary, secondary and future parents as well as teachers, staff and other interested community members, attend a school and community consultation. This meeting is intended to provide the School Board, elected last fall, with a road map for their mandate. In other words they want to know how we really feel. Let's let them know.
Cathy Jewett
WSS Parent
A sorry tale
The following is a sorry chapter of events that should be closely read by parents of all high-school-age children in the 2009/2010 school year, and certainly by any of those parents concerned for their children's educational experience in that time.
On May 13, Brian Buchholz and I attended at a meeting of the School District 48 Board, in Squamish, as representatives of the Whistler Secondary School PAC. We were there to present the results of a parental survey and to support a letter from the WSS PAC requesting the same 10-day Olympics closure as other district high schools.
The survey in question was sent to WSS parents, by the PAC, after we were informed at our April 28 PAC meeting, by Trustee Chris Vernon-Jarvis, that VANOC no longer had any interest in renting WSS. Our school was slated to be closed for 17 instructional days (Feb. 5 to March 2, 2010) which included one week prior to the Olympics, and two days after their conclusion. The original reasoning for these dates was that VANOC would need that time to set up and then tear down the school for any rental group, and also there was concern from some that WSS students would "miss out" on Olympic experiences if our school was not closed for those extra dates.
In light of this new information, we felt it made educational sense that our school closure could now be reduced to the same 10 instructional days as Squamish and Pemberton secondary schools, whose closure dates follow the Olympic dates of Feb. 12-28. This was in line with an earlier letter to SD48 from the Whistler Secondary School PAC, dated Nov. 1, 2008, that in part stated "...WSS also supports Whistler Secondary School's closure for the Olympics being the same as the other high schools in our district, especially if the negotiations with VANOC are unsuccessful."
In other words. SD48 and the school administration, were already aware of the feelings of the PAC and parents, six months before we took this survey.
In advance of writing a survey, the PAC took the precaution of checking the Cultural Olympiad calendar, and checking with the Whistler Arts Council for input. The response of the Arts Council said, "...There is some Cultural Olympiad programming in January and February but these events will be minor and include snow sculpting on the mountains, a theatre project... etc... they will not be large scale, multi-venue programs."
In other words, WSS students will be missing NOTHING if they are at school in the week before the Olympics begin.
Considering all of the original reasons given for our school's extended closure were now null and void, the survey was written by the PAC and sent for approval to the school administration on April 29. Before any communication can be sent to WSS parents by a group outside of the school approval is required from the District office, and the PAC was required at this point to make changes to the wording of the survey... so, the survey could not be e-mailed to families until May 1, and due to other complications, was not sent to the administrations of the elementary schools (for sending to next year's Grade 8 parents) until May 5. The deadline for return, was May 8, to allow for counting of ballots and presentation of results at the aforesaid May 13 SD48 meeting. Anyone familiar with "Whistler time" will know this was no time at all.
However, 116 families responded to the survey. Of those respondents, 76 families preferred a 10-day closure, in line with the Squamish and Pemberton schools, while 38 families were satisfied with a 17-day closure. (There were two spoiled ballots).
It was significant that not one of the 17-day closure proponents mentioned anything about the Olympics; rather their comments were on the lines of their plans for "leaving town" and/or have "rented their homes during the Olympics" etc. Those in favour of a 10-day closure, however, almost unanimously expressed concerns of an educational or practical nature. Some comments were: "Continuity will be lost for study with the long break...", "continuity and scheduling, between the elementary and high school closures, will be untenable for parents with students in both..." and "shame on the school board, for trading dollars for education."
Brian and I were allowed our time on the SD48 agenda to present these survey results. It was depressing that, in response, the single question from the Board was on why we felt "only" 116 families responded. There were no questions on why 76 families clearly felt deep concern on the unnecessarily extended closure of WSS. There were no questions on the narrow timing of the survey, or on the fact that double the respondents clearly have deep reservations and concerns relating to the educational impact of this extended closure. There was no response to my verbal statement that many Whistler parents feel a sense of abandonment by the SD48 board.
To our disbelief, later in that same meeting, the SD48 Board still voted almost unanimously to approve a 17-day closure for our high school. This vote was despite the Nov. 1 2008 letter from PAC, (as mentioned earlier) and despite a further letter from PAC dated May 6, 2009 that in part stated, "We request in the interest of academic learning at the high school level that Whistler Secondary have Spring vacation February 15-26, 2010, harmonized with the other district secondary schools." And it was taken despite the results of the survey. Absolutely no reason, explanation, or justification for this vote, was offered to us.
This decision was supported by the Whistler Secondary School administration, and by both Whistler SD48 school trustees. How educators and so-called advocates of our public high schools can vote this way, in opposition to all common sense and the clearly voiced opposition of so many parents, and the written opposition of the PAC, is incredible to me.
As a parent of a 2010 Grade 12 graduating student, and a Grade 9 student who will be too young to do anything practical during these 17 days, I am angry that my concerns, and those of 75 other families, have been totally marginalized and ignored by the board of SD48. I am angry that our voices have been stifled.
As it stands now, our children will be locked out of a silent and unused school for seven totally unnecessary days. What an incredible waste of academic time! I urge all concerned parents to contact the school administration, to assure them and the teachers of WSS that those students who DO attend school during that time, are students whose parents want them to be educated and who deserve their attention! Teachers are understandably concerned about absenteeism, but they should be more concerned about the students and families who choose to be here. The teachers need to know that they have 100 per cent support of those parents who choose to keep their families in school during this time.
WSS is fortunate to have an incredible teaching staff, and they should not feel they must support this vote because they fear an empty school... the students who remain, are the ones who want to learn!
Those parents who have already rented their homes and chosen to "get the heck out of Dodge" for those 17 days? Well, that's their choice, and it is up to them to make sure their kids do not fall behind. Those who remain should not be penalized for the choices of those who choose to leave!
I also urge concerned parents to contact the board of SD48 and make your voices heard... tell this board that your voice IS important and that you demand the SAME Olympics closure as high schools in Squamish and Pemberton.
Linda McGaw
Whistler
Another muni cash-grab
How strange to see a huge number of available parking spaces at the Telus Conference Centre underground parking during the May long weekend... until I noticed that it is now a pay parking lot.
I don't know whether it was sadness, disappointment, or just plain anger that I felt when I saw that it now costs $2/hour to park there. One thing is for sure - I disapprove.
It's just one more reason to drive the locals away from hanging out or shopping in our own village. One more reason to get our stuff at WalMart, and get our post-shopping beverage at The Shady Tree.
It's also another milestone in the transformation of Whistler from hip, cool ski town to Expensive Commercial Entity. I think it's soon time to move on - I've been here for Whistler's best years, and they are past.
Every time I turn around, the muni's got its hand deeper in my pocket, and at a time when the economy is weighing heavy on us all, the timing couldn't be worse... it's just another lazy muni cash-grab IMHO. Very soon we'll have to pay for the skier's parking as well, and most likely the Creekside underground lot too. Too bad, very sad.
I'll never park at the Telus lot again; they're not getting my twoonie.
Tim Allix
Whistler
Nice timing
I find it to be an unfortunate coincidence that the municipality would start charging for parking in the underground at the exact moment our primary day lots have been shut down for Olympification.
Gouging locals for parking at a time when most of us are seeing significant reductions in our income is adding insult to injury. Perhaps our municipality hasn't really felt the economic crunch the rest of us have, as I understand municipal employees still received their generous annual pay raise despite the decrease in the local economy that provides those salaries.
From the number of frustrated people I witnessed driving aimlessly around the packed day lots today looking for parking, I have to wonder what impacts this will have on small businesses in the village over the summer.
Please stop charging for the underground until the day lots are re-opened. These are our community resources, share them with the community.
Lauren Sampson
Whistler
