So PA Just Created a Probably Pointless Tourism Agency

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives just voted to create a tourism agency, and have allocated $15 million to do it. That’s great! After all, our slogan is very lame and kind of creepy. (“You’ve Got a Friend in Pennsylvania.”) But here’s the rub: we’ve already got one of those. Here’s John Micek, from the Patriot-News.

“In case you’d forgotten, an entire state agency, the Department of Community and Economic Development, already has tourism and tourism promotion as part of its portfolio. So we’re not entirely clear on why a party that prides itself on fiscal conservatism and is allegedly devoted to smaller government would go ahead and create an entirely new bureaucracy.”

So what would the Pennsylvania Tourism Commission do? Sounds kinda like what the DCED already does.

Old: “The office awards matching grants for private sector companies that step forward to help promote a certain region or attraction, like wildlife or retail.”

New: “The commission will be an 11-member board of governor appointees. Members would come from the private sector, and from tourism promotional agencies and associations for restaurant, lodging and retail industries, among others.”

Well, whatever you do, change! that! slogan!

h/t PA Independent