Coalition Member Rafi Hochman said "At the last council meeting, discussing the city budget for 2011, a new budget of five million was assigned for festivals". During the meeting, Hochman said "if this amount of money can be spent for tourism, then I would like this budget to be revised for Eilat residents to be able to participate in these events as well". In response to the proposal, Eilat Mayor, Meir Yitzhak Halevy, promised to establish a committee to examine the proposal, to give Festival discounts to Eilat residents. It should be noted, said Eilat Municipality, that the funding of festivals includes government participation, and is not just with the Municipality.