The campaign to create a 1 percent tax on Santa Barbara County winery sales to support regional marketing efforts crossed a critical hurdle on Tuesday afternoon, when the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to advance the proposed business improvement district onto its next stage.
The Santa Barbara County Association of Vintners must now seek backing for the idea from every city in the county and then return to the Board of Supervisors for a public hearing on January 14. If all goes according to plan, the “Wine BID,” as it’s known, would then be created during the February 11 meeting.
Tuesday’s largely procedural meeting featured a presentation that highlighted how Temecula Valley’s creation of a BID led to an immediate increase in visitation. Santa Barbara Vintners head Alison Laslett further explained that the BID would likely generate $1.5 to $1.6 million annually for her organization’s marketing efforts.