Opposition grows to Moore plan to expand elligibility for tourism dollars in Maryland

MARYLAND – Maryland governor Wes Moore is signaling his support for a plan to bring more tourism dollars to Maryland.

However, that same proposal is facing a backlash here on the eastern shore.

Moore says he’d like to make more cities and towns eligible to receive state dollars designed to boost tourism.

However the plan would not increase the statewide funding total – only allow more locations to tap into those funds.

Greater Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce President Bill Chambers tells 47 ABC that would hurt Wicomico and Worcester Counties by giving them more competition for those state dollars and hurt existing tourism industries.

“It’s going to cut the pie up into smaller pieces. If there is a way for existing jurisdictions that have relied on this money, like Wicomico and Worcester, there’s a way for those jurisdictions to be placed in some kind of priority order then maybe we can salvage what money potentially would be lost,” said the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce President Bill Chambers.

Chambers says counties like Worcester and Wicomico County offer the state a good value as they pay out more in taxes than they receive from the grants due to just how much tourism those dollars bring.

But he says that the same value won’t be found in other parts of the state.

Chambers says if they cannot block the bill next session they will want to make Ocean City a priority funding target and prevent its funding level from shrinking as a result of the efforts.