Budget battle over Naples beaches

Naples, Fla.- Sand hauling trucks will be barreling down local roads to renourish city beaches for the second time in two years. But, the Vice Mayor of Naples tells WINK News, the beaches need a permanent fix.

"We need to move away from beach renourishment done by truck and going back to off-shore beach renourishment," said City of Naples Vice Mayor, Dee Sulick.

The last renourishment in Collier County was in 2005 and cost about $26 million. At the time, 50% of tourist tax dollars were allocated to beach renourishment. In 2013, county commissioners voted to reduce that amount of money to 41%.

"We are always lacking for funds and looking for moneies," said Vice Mayor Sulick.

Jack Wert, Executive Director of the county's Convention and Visitor's bureau said tourism is up 16% from last year. He says that means extra money for marketing the beaches and for the beaches themselves.

"You need a good product. The beaches are an important part of how we market this destination," said Wert. "But, you need to be able to tell people that you have great beaches too."

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Budget battle over Naples beaches

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