Editor, The Beacon:

I was disappointed with the Volusia County Council vote in May 2021 to impose a required 30-day minimum rental period.

I read a recent newspaper article indicating many business owners were beginning to be concerned that COVID may again have a negative impact on tourism.

This vote by the Volusia County Council will also have a negative impact on tourism, and there is absolutely no logical reason for this decision. The council rejected an advisory-board opinion and did not perform any tax or revenue-impact study on what would be the effect of stopping weekly rentals of thousands of condo units in Volusia County.

I believe the actual lost tax revenue will be in excess of $5 million for all of unincorporated Volusia County. Tourism will decrease as people spend their summer vacations at different locations. I do not understand how the County Council can support this position.

My family of 20-plus has been coming here for 23 years. All total, we have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in the New Smyrna Beach area over this time. Twenty-seven of us were here this summer in multiple condo units.

We have been discussing what to do next year. The most popular option at this time is to go to Miami Beach.

I fear we will not be the only people to change vacation locations. There are at least 20 condo buildings south of the city limits on the New Smyrna Beach barrier island with more than 2,000 units, none of which will be able to be rented during the summer season.

The loss of weekly rentals will result in Volusia County losing more than $1 million in tax revenue, just from the condos south of the city limits.

Jack Winters

New Smyrna Beach