Local property owners now provide an annual subsidy of over $8.5 million to IVGID’s recreational venues ($7 million in the rec//beach fees plus another 1.5 million in ad valorem taxes).  IVGID  claims that overall, they are making a “profit” (don’t be fooled: they call an operation profitable as long as it meets the operating expenses, and rely on the “tooth fairy”, aka property owners, to pay for debt service (for all our shiny new buildings) and capital equipment (such a snow grooming equipment, mowers, etc.).  No business with this kind of mentality can survive.  IVGID has brainwashed the community into thinking that this arrangement is a good deal because we get all these discounts.   But for the 85% of parcels that don’t even use the venues, this is no deal.  And if you do take advantage of the discounts, do you think the poor/elderly (a sizeable percentage of our population) who can’t use the venues should subsidize that use?  Unfortunately, this mentality perpetuates a system that has absolutely no incentive to run efficiently.   As long as there is a rec fee there is no incentive to reduce costs nor to spend wisely. If we look at other publicly owned facilities (e.g. Gunstock Mountain Resort in New Hampshire)  we realize that with competent management, it is possible to operate well-run facilities with no taxpayer subsidy.  Gunstock actually contributes $175,000 a year to the county coffers, but receives not a penny from property owners.

Over the years I have seen how IVGID spends money and am convinced IVGID has as much of a spending problem as it has a revenue problem.   There is a critical lack of purchasing oversight and as a result, IVGID pays much more for items than anyone should.  Its CIP projects the need for $56 million over the next 5 years. It’s inconceivable to think that we will reduce the recreation fee, let alone keep it at its current level, with that kind of spending combined with our inability to run a single profitable venue (Diamond Peak shows a profit* this year after 10 consecutive years of requiring subsidies averaging a million dollars a year).

Of course, now our general manager professes that IVGID provides services.  We all want our taxes to provide basic recreational services for the community (full time and part-time residents) , but when they start charging every property owner mandatory fees for services provided  better by the private sector, primarily for the benefit of tourists, then IVGID should get out of the wayT

* Profit is questionable considering that IVGID often overstates revenues (venues’ revenues include non-cash revenues attributable to Punch Card and other discounts) and understates expenses (like Central Services costs).