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Resident calls for transparency in Wake County hospitality-tax spending
Summary
A resident urged Wake County to reassess hospitality-tax use, saying current RFP criteria favor shovel-ready tourism projects and questioned whether historically Black neighborhoods share in the benefits of Destination 2028 planning.
During public comment, Carmen Coffin raised concerns about Wake County’s hospitality tax program and its RFP guidance, arguing that eligibility favors shovel‑ready tourism projects and that historically Black neighborhoods have been displaced by past investments.
Coffin said the tax has been collected since 1991 from all county residents but has been invested primarily in tourism-facing facilities such as hotels, convention centers and sports arenas that "primarily generate low wage service jobs, not lasting community wealth." She asked the board to examine the interlocal agreement that governs expenditures, to increase transparency, and to ensure that funding benefits residents across Wake County.
The clerk also noted an online submission in support of the Athens Drive Library earlier in the meeting. Commissioners listened and did not take immediate action; Coffin said she would raise similar questions with Raleigh City Council because the funds and RFPs affect residents across jurisdictional lines.
