[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6078511,"mediaKeyId","2959485-bec59d0553ea4d255dd85f48bf72e956","parentId",2959485,"title","Gig Harbor LTAC briefs on proposed Cultural Access Program; council directed to draft ordinance, measure would go to voters","audioSeconds",763,"startMs",1395000,"endMs",2158000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2959485-bec59d0553ea4d255dd85f48bf72e956&start=1395&end=2158","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2959485-bec59d0553ea4d255dd85f48bf72e956/thumbnail_1395000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6078511/Gig-Harbor/Pierce-County/Washington/Gig-Harbor-LTAC-briefs-on-proposed-Cultural-Access-Program-council-directed-to-draft-ordinance-measure-would-go-to-voters","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078511-82132b035e7f8381b63859ba0ad7caa7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771192747&Signature=jKEDEHleoxfGY-BfRDA-4rIZ4lnu5FIKwTcSbUXlZ~ISoj3sqoVMxdKE62uvhpl5F4-togI~pAnEvdEnIKykOXb1p3IVEsVErRG1Wvi~iBqaGc7CGOe~BJm5p7UvS~EQf0-eaWW17SZyLrI3jsA3wHysb0pOLFvzrDrbjxRr92T5ArXOmAJItzT0azozR0nbKyuZZTp8tDRAdShxh1y3CUWLCXDp8Hdd7mCzIVkngR1YcmTBGLTXHV2GriMbzVJDwr6uNybAXcyd8XAGm-YVMAhk6F6sqHOn-Jx4cEEhzC0LUBCoTBqNaMZjFIeHAQrML8Go-cGEiZ9g2as9H20RlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Gig Harbor, WA","date","2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) heard a staff briefing on a proposed Cultural Access Program after City Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance establishing the program.

City staff said the council’s direction was to prepare the ordinance, but the levy still must be placed before voters and — if approved — would not provide grant awards immediately. Staff said collections would not begin until April 1, 2026 if the measure is approved in November, meaning the earliest awards would likely begin in 2027. Council must decide before the ballot how much of the new fund would be used for startup and ongoing administrative costs, staff said.

The proposed program would create a dedicated fund supported by a city sales-tax increase; staff described it as a single program from which cultural organizations (history, science, arts and related groups) could apply. LTAC members were told the program contains a non-supplanting provision: it cannot be used to replace existing LTAC funding for organizations that already receive lodging-tax grants. Staff warned that the provision will be legally and administratively complex and that attorney guidance will be required before LTAC and council finalize how the two grant streams interact.

Staff also said the ordinance and implementing criteria must address a school-access requirement. According to the briefing, the program design must reserve some portion of funds to provide access to schools and include transportation support when certain school-level thresholds are met. Staff emphasized that council will have to set how much of the pot is reserved for school access and how much may be used for administration before the measure goes on the ballot.

LTAC members discussed timing and staffing. Staff said many other jurisdictions that have launched similar programs already had program managers in place and that Gig Harbor currently lacks a permanent program manager; council must decide whether startup or ongoing administrative costs will come from the fund or elsewhere. The committee was advised that once the ordinance is adopted and the measure is on the ballot, the city will provide factual information but will not organize campaign activity; proponents and opponents would form electoral committees after the measure qualifies.

Several LTAC members and one arts-commission representative said the commission is preparing a letter of support and that more detailed implementation conversations will follow once the council finalizes high-level decisions. Staff said more detailed criteria and program administration work will wait until funding is available and council settles the program’s broad parameters.

Why it matters: Committee members were told the program aims to increase cultural programming and school access but that it also will require council decisions about how much of the tax proceeds are used for administration and school transportation. Those decisions will affect how much money remains available for discretionary grants to cultural groups and how LTAC should coordinate its existing grant programs with the new fund.

What’s next: Staff will continue drafting the ordinance per council direction and return to council and LTAC with additional details. If council places the measure on the November ballot and voters approve it, the earliest grant awards would follow after at least a full year of collections (staff estimated awards would likely begin in 2027).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Gig Harbor, WA Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Meeting - March 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) heard a staff briefing after City Council directed preparation of an ordinance to create a Cultural Access Program; the measure would go to the ballot and — if approved — would not produce grant awards until after a full year of collections.","taxTitle","Gig Harbor, Pierce County, Washington","taxId",60969,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6078501,"LTAC approves meeting minutes; no other formal votes recorded",42,178000,220000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2959485-bec59d0553ea4d255dd85f48bf72e956&start=178&end=220","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2959485-bec59d0553ea4d255dd85f48bf72e956/thumbnail_178000.jpg","/articles/6078501/Gig-Harbor/Pierce-County/Washington/LTAC-approves-meeting-minutes-no-other-formal-votes-recorded","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078501-b4368a51b4ca9eb524554705f6489aa8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771192747&Signature=b9CNx9vycszQnlg1P0zyrIiDSPFRAAWRMtWE~pQ73cLdr8xe0BLGNnVLvz5xlTGMilEbCm-AK8eIua80NLFgq7hdfT0RDlzUVR1rgXvgcmbBB4GjPgywjJHKGnBJRvpThKfTTuvr433zmnnYczivNAfwn9T31rVLtIJT25L1da~3Ul9AVLrZBGzMFUQbnxCieAUX6D-sHqsSuEuI9IZnDfHYvSqheBofDXGzEtPHJ3kXAebx~dcVIgRq2yZRHLj-Pa254f0k3ycLADs4YCkTihItdgNkOUCztr4MTix56POPHVLg8lnNFWm2Y-JjOEDQ6CFgDe10ttgcHcZHndDjHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee voted to approve the minutes of Sept. 12 and Oct. 8. Committee members voted 'aye' and staff recorded the approval as unanimous. No other formal votes, ordinance adoptions or grant award decisions were recorded during the March 13 meeting; most of the session consisted of staff briefings and discussion.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion: Approve Sept. 12 and Oct. 8 minutes. Mover/Second: not specified in transcript. Outcome: approved (unanimous). Yes: 7; No: 0; Abstain: 0. Present: 7 of 8 voting members (one member not present; one incoming appointee attending as non-voting observer).","The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee unanimously approved the Sept. 12 and Oct. 8 meeting minutes; no other formal votes or ordinance adoptions were recorded at the March 13 meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6078506,"Sports-complex grant restored to local fund; LTAC weighs $45,000 bus wrap and short-term Waterfront Connector service",825,232000,1057000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2959485-bec59d0553ea4d255dd85f48bf72e956&start=232&end=1057","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2959485-bec59d0553ea4d255dd85f48bf72e956/thumbnail_232000.jpg","/articles/6078506/Gig-Harbor/Pierce-County/Washington/Sports-complex-grant-restored-to-local-fund-LTAC-weighs-45000-bus-wrap-and-short-term-Waterfront-Connector-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6078506-4dcc3b0da63ad177b9febf6865117979/orig.mp4?Expires=1771192747&Signature=U-0tOC~8QyQ4y3MqH6IfKejpu1LMTW6BxriMRz1osiRVIK0ziPxD1Sak-j~za9otZEwiu4maprW-quh4HkJvnS5hm~fGoMvkeinxvzPoSMysMgXV-Dwz4StsaMH3aTYQ36k~W9Eklouc5zNz5-mPytFwEH9Gf7UaKfSwxMiLmtn5BXegerWi~qCmdUMvaFFc~QXSNVbhMneVjkT60M~v5pm7HN1qRyzkftzr2xSns-iYdXEG7ExfZK2pFuvvaQvgR25QTMgbi4THZXo-TIa4feD37-OyIyrDyuKGszAaP3031vZ3Q7gH4TqVxBVTwZJBDkRb8iZYzP28SkB3U5FGQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LTAC members were briefed that the city received confirmation a previously reserved grant for the sports complex has been released and returned to the local fund, increasing available money for LTAC-related spending.

City staff reported that the released grant totals $500,000 and that, as a result, the balance available to allocate rose from about $286,000 to about $786,000. Staff said the sports-complex grant had originally been budgeted across multiple funds and that the state’s Hospital Benefit Zone (HBZ) fund will pay the project’s capital expenses; the released amount is now available for distribution according to the original budget plan.

Committee members then discussed transportation options for the summer. Pierce Transit (referred to in the briefing) will operate a shorter “Waterfront Connector” bus that will loop at Anthony’s, serve Uptown and nearby stops, and run three days a week (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). Staff said the shorter route will not go north of Anthony’s and estimated the loop at roughly 30 minutes.

Two optional costs were discussed: a $45,000 one-time fee to have the short bus wrapped with custom branding and a $3,002.90 option described as a fare-buydown that would reduce or subsidy fares for riders. Under the default operating arrangement the service would run at regular bus fares (staff said those fares would be $2 per ride under the operator’s standard fare settings).

Committee members expressed concern that the service timeline is short and that promotion and marketing would be compressed if the LTAC pays to wrap the bus for a limited run; several members recommended saving discretionary funds for next year’s full trolley return and larger promotion campaign. Staff noted the short decision window: the operator needed a funding commitment by March 17 for the wrap option.

Members discussed alternatives such as contracting a local shuttle for farmers-market days and for specific events (Summer Sounds, maritime festival), which staff said could be less expensive and more flexible. Staff also said the operator normally operates multiple identical vehicles and sometimes duplicates wraps to create back-ups, but a fully wrapped vehicle would cost about $45,000.

Why it matters: The released sports-complex grant increases LTAC-adjacent monies available to the city and opens immediate options for short-term transportation projects that affect visitor experience and event accessibility. Committee members must weigh one-time promotional expenses against longer-term marketing and service consistency.

What’s next: Staff said they will follow up with operator details and circulate route maps and ridership data; LTAC will consider funding decisions at a future meeting. Members requested historic ridership figures and clarified that the $45,000 wrap and $3,002.90 fare buy-down were optional and required a prompt decision from LTAC or partner organizations.","City staff told the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee a released $500,000 sports-complex grant increased available funds; members discussed a short-term Waterfront Connector bus service that will run three days a week, fare structure, and a $45,000 wrap option and a separate $3,002.90 fare buy-down offer.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Gig Harbor LTAC briefs on proposed Cultural Access Program; council directed to draft ordinance, measure would go to voters

LTAC approves meeting minutes; no other formal votes recorded

Sports-complex grant restored to local fund; LTAC weighs $45,000 bus wrap and short-term Waterfront Connector service