Amador County holds public meeting on proposed tourism marketing district; board trims county grant to Visit Amador

Amador County supervisors heard more than three hours of testimony and a multi-stakeholder presentation on a proposed Amador County Tourism Marketing District (ACTMD), which would add a pass‑through assessment to short‑term lodging to fund marketing. The Board heard proponents say the district would provide stable, locally controlled funding for marketing to bring overnight visitors and increase transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenue, while opponents urged excluding residential short‑term rentals (STRs) and raised legal and land‑use concerns.

The ACTMD process was introduced by county staff as governed by Government Code section 54954.6; the board previously adopted a resolution of intent and the April 8 informational meeting began the statutorily required public‑notice stage. Visit Amador co‑founder Tracy Birkner and other organization leaders described recent marketing work — airport baggage‑carousel placements, bridal shows and trade‑show outreach — and said the district would help scale that work with a predictable revenue stream. Tracy Birkner and Nicole Shable outlined outreach done to lodging partners and the estimated marketing budget tied to an assessment projected to generate…