The Chautauqua County Legislature’s Audit and Control Committee squashed funding for the proposed National Bigfoot Center in Ripley last week. Committee members made the right call.

The proposed $4 million project would use property near the Interstate 90 exit in Ripley. Bigfoot Center officials requested the maximum amount of $10,000 from the county’s 3 Percent Occupancy Tax fund this year and next year. Taken from the Off-Cycle Contingency Account, the funding supports unanticipated project requests for the development of attractions and events.

The county’s Tourism Review Panel scored and recommended four funding application requests, suggesting Bigfoot funding remain contingent on the project’s viability.

After passing through the Planning and Economic Development Committee – along with applications from the Lucy Town Half Marathon and 5K, Chautauqua Gran Fondo Cycling Tour, and Chadwick Bay Bike Run – the Audit and Control members thought better of sending any Bigfoot funding before the full legislature for approval. They cited concerns over the moderately low score the Tourism Review Panel gave the project.

Because Bigfoot does not exist, some would argue the project should never receive support from the county’s 3 Percent Occupancy Tax funds.

“In my opinion, I think this is the most ridiculous appropriation of taxpayer dollars I think I’ve ever seen in my life,” said John Runkle, Audit and Control Committee chairman.

At this time, it would be ridiculous for the county to fund this project, as legislators don’t know how the Bigfoot Center plans to raise millions of dollars. A crowdfunding campaign had gathered just $1,000 as of Monday.

In February, Peter Wiemer, owner of We Wan Chu Cottages, asked the Planning and Economic Development Committee to consider giving the proposed Bigfoot Center $100,000 in bed tax funds. The committee referred him to the occupancy tax grant application.

Although we don’t believe in Bigfoot, Wiemer has every right to pursue funding for the proposed museum in Ripley. Perhaps Chautauqua County could draw massive crowds to a Bigfoot museum, as other communities have embraced and benefited from mythical creatures. Unless Wiemer can show legislators he has funding sources with deep pockets, however, the legislature can’t waste taxpayer dollars on a project millions of dollars away from its fundraising goal.