Lee County Tourism Executives Paid $900k in Retirement Bonuses While Taxpayers Cover $22M in Spending
Privatizing Lee County Tourism Could Save Taxpayers $3.1M–$5.6M Annually — While Other Florida Counties Already Outsource
But wait, there’s more!
LEE COUNTY, FL — A new analysis from TripleDippers.org reveals that Lee County taxpayers could save $3.1 million to $5.6 million every year by privatizing the county’s government-run Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB). While Lee continues to fund bloated salaries and pension bonuses, Florida’s largest counties have already outsourced tourism functions to lean, nonprofit contractors — avoiding long-term pension liabilities of Pension Bonuses and life long Pensions and Health Care Subsidies.
Just two Lee County tourism executives are receiving over $619,000 in pension bonuses, while collecting full-time paychecks and avoiding the standard 3% employee pension contribution. Their combined 8-year cost to taxpayers exceeds $4.27 million.
Lee County Tourism Department: 8-Year Cost Breakdown For Just TWO Executives
Combined Cost: $4.27 million for two positions — nearly $900K in pension subsidies alone.
🧾 Tourism Budget Waste — And What Could Be Saved
🛠️ The Fix Is Simple: Privatize the Bureau, Protect Taxpayers
TripleDippers.org calls for immediate reform:
- Privatize Lee County’s VCB using a nonprofit contractor model
- Redirect millions to core public services or tax relief
“Florida taxpayers aren’t an ATM,” said Dave Jaye, Researcher https://tripledippers.org/ . “Why is Lee County running a government marketing agency when the private sector is faster, cheaper, and more accountable to taxpayers?”
📞 TAKE ACTION
- Contact Lee County Commissioners: leegov.com/bocc
- Read the full spotlight report: TripleDippers.org
- Share this data to demand accountability, transparency, and reform
📐 Methodology: How Savings Were Calculated
https://tripledippers.org/ analyzed Lee County’s FY24 VCB budget line items and compared them to cost structures in counties that outsource tourism functions. Estimated savings were derived by applying conservative reduction ranges to key categories:
Tourism Budget Waste — And What Could Be Saved
Lee County’s VCB spending is out of line with fiscally responsible counties like Orange (Visit Orlando) and Miami-Dade (Greater Miami CVB), which outsource tourism through nonprofit contractors funded by Tourist Development Taxes.
| Category | FY24 Budget | Privatization Potential | Estimated Savings |
| Salaries & Benefits | ~$4.3M | High | $1.1M–$1.7M |
| IT & Data Processing | ~$850K | High | $170K–$340K |
| Promotions & Advertising | ~$16.3M | Moderate | $1.6M–$3.2M |
| Travel & Training | ~$400K | Moderate | $60K–$100K |
| Admin & Indirect Costs | ~$550K | High | $165K–$275K |
Total Estimated Annual Savings: $3.1M–$5.6M
Total Estimated Annual Savings: $3.1M–$5.6M, based on comparative benchmarks from Orange, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Walton, and Okaloosa counties.
What Other Florida Counties Do Differently
Florida’s largest counties outsource tourism through nonprofit contractors — delivering professional marketing at lower cost and without pension bonus and lifetime pension liabilities:
Orange County – Visit Orlando
Nonprofit DMO funded by Tourist Development Tax
https://www.visitorlando.com
Miami-Dade County – Greater Miami CVB
Independent nonprofit funded by tourist taxes & partnerships
https://www.miamiandbeaches.com
Monroe County – Florida Keys TDC
Advisory council funded by Tourist Development Tax
https://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/328/Tourist-Development-Council
Walton County – Visit South Walton
Tourism department with nonprofit-style branding, funded by bed tax
https://www.visitsouthwalton.com
Okaloosa County – Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism
Advisory council model funded by 6% lodging tax
https://myokaloosa.com/tourist-development/home
Check out our latest investigative Reporting at The Hall of Shame https://TripleDippers.org/hall-of-shame where we profile the greediest Florida Politicians and Bureaucrats using their public positions for personal enrichment.
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