MI summer tourism ads may not run if lawmakers lag

WKAR Public Media

Published March 16, 2010 at 6:12 PM EDT

By AP

LANSING, MI –

Those ads promoting Michigan's lakes and summer shorelines may never run for the upcoming tourist season if lawmakers don't act soon.

Michigan Economic Development Corp. CEO Greg Main said Tuesday that unless lawmakers find a way to fund the "Pure Michigan" campaign in the next two weeks, the window for running the ads will close.

State officials would like to spend at least $30 million on the campaign.

The state Senate two weeks ago voted to add $9.5 million in use taxes to a fund for the "Pure Michigan" promotion this year, raising funding to about $15 million.

A House committee last week voted to pump $20 million into the ad campaign, with $13 million coming from a new $2.50-per-day tax on rental vehicles that Gov. Jennifer Granholm supports but the Senate opposes.

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