The Harrisburg, Pa., City Council voted unanimously to request that the Dauphin County Commissioners suspend transfer of funds from hotel tax revenues to the National Civil War Museum.
Dauphin County shares with the city a portion of hotel tax revenues to be allocated for marketing and promotion of the city. The museum receives a large portion of the funds that Mayor Eric Papenfuse says should be spent to promote the entire city.
"Together, we can send a strong message to Dauphin County Commissioners," Papenfuse said after the Aug. 27 vote. "They contribute $1 a year to the city, while the fair market rent for the building is over $500,000."
Papenfuse said the city pays for maintenance of the building and the hotel tax is used to pay for salaries and basic operations. He called that a misuse of the hotel tax revenue designed to market and promote tourism.
Councilman Ben Allatt called for museum representatives answer the council's questions about their use of taxpayer funds. "There should be a certain degree of accountability," he said.
