HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015.018.13 LTAC MinutesLODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
August 13, 2015
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order at 4:00 pm, by Mike Garrison, in conference room #9 at Pasco City
Hall.
ROLL CALL:
Board Members Present: Mike Garrison (Council); Allison White (Sleep Inn); Colin Hastings
(Chamber); Monica Hammerberg (Red Lion); and Michael Goins (Downtown Pasco).
Also Present: Stan Strebel, Deputy City Manager.
BUSINESS:
Mike Garrison presented the October 14, 2014 minutes of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.
Motion was made by Monica Hammerberg and seconded by Michael Goins, to approve the October
14, 2014 minutes as submitted. Motion passed unanimously.
Stan briefly reminded the Committee of the purpose and function of the Lodging Tax Advisory
Committee (LTAC), referencing Resolution No. 2314. He also reviewed the reporting of 2014
lodging tax spending and visitor activity reporting per the JLARC Online Reporting system which
became operational earlier this year. Stan also reviewed: historical allocation of lodging tax
receipts; current contractual commitments; and 2016 tax allocation requests.
Monica asked if DPDA had the ability to track lodging stays associated with their events. Michael
noted that it was difficult; however, they will work with Visit Tri -Cities to try to measure this in the
future.
Committee discussed the requests for use of the 2016 Lodging Tax receipts, estimated to total
$515,000. Motion was made by Michael Goins and seconded by Colin Hastings to recommend the
2016 allocation estimate, as outlined below. Motion carried unanimously.
• TRAC, 50% of actual loss ................................. $255,000 (est)
• VCB Promotion Services (50% of 2%) .............. $123,000 (est)
• Pasco Chamber Ag Show .................................... $10,000
Baseball Stadium Debt ........................................ $122,000 (will vary to fit amount available)
DPDA Event Marketing ......................................... $5,000
TOTAL .............................. $515,000
Monica stressed that she would like to see increased ability to track overnight lodging stays from
tax use.
Stan suggested that while the state law on the LTAC does not specify terms of the committee
members, it does require that the appointing authority (City Council) review the membership on an
annual basis. As committee members will be more effective if they are aware of their positions on
the LTAC well in advance of the need to make recommendations, as opposed to notice of, say, a
few months, Stan recommended that the City Council review, and confirm committee members to
serve for the ensuing year concurrently with action on the recommendations for the 2016 year tax
use. The committee was asked if each was willing to continue to serve and, if so, did they concur
with the recommendation to ask the City Council to confirm the current members for continued
service. (Any future vacancies can be considered as needed) Committee concurred.
Stan indicated that with some possible growth in tax proceeds and the retirement of debt associated
with TRAC (2014) and the Stadium (2019), there may be new uses for tax proceeds that could be
considered. One possibility would be the establishment of an "opportunity fund" for events that
generate significant numbers of visitors but are not sponsored by one of the regular tax recipients.
Colin asked if the LTAC should be increased in size with new lodging facilities coming online.
Stan indicated that he would have to check the law — he was certain the committee must contain an
equal number of lodging facility members and members of organizations that utilize lodging tax
proceeds. [A subsequent check of the law indicates that there is no limit to the size of the LTAC
(minimum of five members) so long as the ratio of lodging/user members remains 1:1.]
ADJOURNMENT:
Committee meeting adjourned at 4:25 pm.
Respectfully submitted.
Stan Strebel, Deputy City Manager
LTAC Minutes 8/13/15
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