Monroe County funding intended to promote tourism will no longer be available to LGBTQ+ events in the Keys.
The change comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on April 22 that “prohibits counties from funding, promoting, or taking official action related to DEI efforts,” and specifically blocks the county from “promoting or providing preferential treatment or special benefits” to a person or group based on their race, sex, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, according to a May 5 press release.
Monroe County and the Tourist Development Council — intended to manage the county’s tourism marketing efforts — are now “mandated to review event grant applications and funding allocations” to comply with the new state law. The TDC is funded by a “bed tax,” which is a 4% tax on any short-term rental of six months or less, including motel and hotel rooms.
Key West Pride will receive funding this year but not the next, given the effective date of the law is January 1, 2027. It’s one of several events affected.
“The legislation also establishes enforcement provisions, including potential legal action by residents against counties that violate the law, and penalties for elected officials, including removal from office for misfeasance,” reads the release. “Monroe County emphasizes that these changes are not discretionary and are required to comply with state law.”
Rob Dougherty, executive director of the Key West Business Guild — a non-profit group dedicated to promoting LGBTQ+ tourism in Key West — said the change will result in a loss of tens of thousands of dollars in event funding. The guild operates the Gay Key West Visitor Center and helps organize Key West Pride.
“Off the top of my head, we’re going to lose $75,000 for Pride, $39,500 for Womenfest and $25,000 for Tropical Heat,” Dougherty said. The TDC also provided $58,000 per year to help fund the Gay Key West Visitors Center, he added.
The money isn’t given directly to the Key West Business Guild, with the exception of the funding for the visitors center, Dougherty said. Instead, the group submits invoices for services like marketing, for instance, to the TDC, which then pays the vendor directly.
“It’s estimated that 250,000 LGBTQ+ people a year visit the Florida Keys,” Dougherty said. “For every LGBTQ+ person that visits the Florida Keys, there are two to four allies who travel to the Keys for the same reason — inclusivity, diversity. They travel here because they know that the LGBTQ+ community is safe. So, it might be aunts, uncles, mothers and fathers who do that. It matters to them.”
Though the county should still be allowed to issue permits for the events in 2027, Dougherty said he’s worried about “overcorrection,” as the law grants provisions for residents who think the county might be violating it to initiate legal action.
“I think that one of the things Key West does well is pull together, and I feel very confident that although our events may look different next year, we’ll be able to carry them out,” Dougherty said.
Monroe County did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
