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Commissioners debate lodging-tax committee makeup, application rules and program limits
Summary
At a lengthy discussion commissioners and committee members reviewed LTAC membership rules, eligibility for payer/receiver slots, application timing and typical award rules (matching, capital vs. advertising).
Commissioner Tim led a lengthy discussion of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s composition and award rules, telling the board he had pushed to ensure lodging-tax funds are spread across the county rather than concentrated in one area.
The board and staff reviewed the state-required makeup for lodging-tax committees under Washington law (RCW). Commissioners discussed the committee’s current structure — payers and receivers from various districts plus an at-large position — and debated returning to a strict payer/receiver split by commissioner district. Several long- standing committee members raised concerns about the meaning of the “at-large” seat and whether it diluted district representation. Jennifer Farmer’s recent resignation and the need to recruit payers and receivers in Commissioner District 1 were central to the conversation.
Commissioners and staff clarified how LTAC funds may be used: capital expenditures are limited to county- or municipally-owned facilities (for example, vault toilets or trail bridges), while advertising projects are eligible but typically require a 50% match (the LTAC pays up to 50% of advertising or professional-service costs tied to tourism promotion). The board discussed typical award sizes and earlier awards: staff cited a roughly $600,000 annual lodging-tax revenue figure and said the board considered requests totaling roughly $900,000–$1,000,000 in prior cycles and funded about $700,000 in one recent year. Staff also noted recurring grant awards such as an advertising allocation and larger DMO allocations.
Commissioners asked staff to pursue outreach to potential payers and receivers in District 1 (hotels, chamber representatives, large event organizers) and to return with a recommendation. Deadlines and timing: LTAC applications are submitted once yearly (applications generally due in August) and awards are made annually.
Why it matters: Lodging-tax decisions fund advertising, capital improvements and events that attract visitors and revenue; how the committee is composed affects geographic distribution of funds.
What’s next: Staff will contact potential payer/receiver candidates in District 1 and report back; the board will not yet change the committee resolution until the county has sufficient interested candidates to populate slots.
