Chapter 2.74
LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sections:
2.74.010 Committee established.
2.74.020 Composition, rules and terms of office.
2.74.030 Repealed.
2.74.040 Repealed.
2.74.050 Repealed.
2.74.060 Authority and functions.
2.74.010 Committee established.
There is hereby established a city of Port Townsend lodging tax advisory committee, to serve the functions prescribed in Chapter 67.28 RCW. (Ord. 2760 § 5, 2001; Ord. 2607 § 1, 1997).
2.74.020 Composition, rules and terms of office.
Terms of office, rules, and other scope of work assigned by the city council shall be as provided by council resolution. (Ord. 2760 § 5, 2001; Ord. 2607 § 1, 1997).
2.74.030 Terms of office.
Repealed by Ord. 2760. (Ord. 2607 § 1, 1997).
2.74.040 Rules and officers.
Repealed by Ord. 2760. (Ord. 2607 § 1, 1997).
2.74.050 Meetings.
Repealed by Ord. 2760. (Ord. 2607 § 1, 1997).
2.74.060 Authority and functions.
A. Lodging Tax Proposal Review. Not less than 45 days before taking final action on any lodging tax proposals enumerated in this subsection, the Port Townsend city council shall submit to the lodging tax advisory committee, for its review and comment, proposals regarding the following:
1. The imposition of a tax under Chapter 67.28 RCW;
2. Any change in the rate of such tax;
3. Repeals or exemptions from such a tax; or
4. A change in the use of the revenue received from such a tax.
B. Report from the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Upon receiving a proposal from the Port Townsend city council, the lodging tax advisory committee shall analyze the extent to which the proposal will accommodate activities for tourists, or increase tourism, and the extent to which the proposal will affect the long-range stability of the city fund created for the lodging tax revenues. The committee shall submit a written recommendation to the Port Townsend city council within 45 days of receiving the proposal from the city council. The report shall be advisory to the Port Townsend city council, and shall not be binding upon the council. Failure of the committee to submit its report to the city council in a timely fashion prior to passage of the proposal shall not prevent the city council from acting on the proposal.
C. Tourism Planning. The lodging tax advisory committee shall be authorized to engage in tourism planning and promotion activities as outlined in the “Port Townsend Visitor and Tourism Development Marketing Plan” (June, 1998), as now adopted or hereafter amended.
D. Tourism Promotion and Tourism-Related Facility Project Applications. The lodging tax advisory committee is authorized to perform initial review of applications for lodging tax funding and to make recommendations to the Port Townsend city council regarding which projects the city should fund. However, this grant of authority shall not be construed to require the city council to submit such proposals to the committee for initial review in addition to the review process set forth in subsection A of this section. If any expenditures will constitute an amendment to the city’s annual budget, the request shall be submitted to the lodging tax advisory committee prior to final approval by the city council.
E. Administration of the “Community Request Fund” Program. The city of Port Townsend administers a “community request fund” (CRF) to provide funds for advertising, publicizing, and otherwise distributing information for the purpose of attracting visitors and encouraging tourist expansion within Port Townsend. The CRF is generated from lodging tax revenues. The lodging tax advisory committee is authorized to review requests for funds from the CRF and to make recommendations to the city council’s finance committee to authorize such expenditures, without further confirmation by the city council, not to exceed the annually budgeted amount, with funding for each request in a maximum amount of $1,000.
F. Report to Washington State Office of Trade and Economic Development (OTED). The lodging tax advisory committee shall assist the city in compiling the report to OTED, as required in SSB 5867, Section 6. (Ord. 2760 § 5, 2001; Ord. 2607 § 1, 1997).