Clatsop County pulls lodging-tax ordinance for further review; work session to be scheduled

The Clatsop County Board of Commissioners removed ordinance 24-23, a lodging-tax proposal, from the meeting agenda and directed staff to schedule a work session to give the board time to vet remaining questions before rescheduling first and second readings.

Board members said several colleagues had lingering questions about ordinance details and timing given recent legislative activity. Commissioners agreed the measure should be reconsidered with the full board present rather than advanced with only three members in attendance.

County staff described the ordinance as creating a maximum lodging-manager tax rate while allowing the board, by resolution, to set a lower rate later if state action provided flexibility. Staff also said the county had originally planned the first reading to align with the state legislative calendar and a second reading after the session to reflect any necessary adjustments.

Commissioners and staff emphasized the ordinance’s budgetary intent: the lodging-manager tax is intended to help pay for county services—chiefly public safety and criminal justice costs—that county leaders said account for a majority of discretionary spending. Board members noted that rural fire agencies, which rely heavily on property tax revenues and have limited other revenue sources, were among the intended beneficiaries of lodging-tax revenues passed through by the county.

During the discussion, staff clarified that the ordinance follows current state statutory language that allocates the tax to managers rather than facilities, and that the board’s adopted ordinance would reflect that statutory allocation. Commissioners asked staff to return with timing options and stakeholder communications plans, including outreach to lodging managers and campgrounds who collect the tax on the county’s behalf.

The board voted to adopt the amended meeting agenda removing ordinance 24-23; the removal will require the ordinance to be presented again for first and second readings after the work session.

County staff said they will schedule the work session soon and aim to set first- and second-reading dates shortly afterward so any new rate could be in place early next year, depending on board direction and the county’s communication needs with businesses and collection agents.