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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA Modest ProposalA ModestA ModestProposalProposal Presented by Greg Brotherton What canWhat can Lodging TaxLodging Tax be used for?be used for? RCW 67.28.1816 Lodging tax—Tourism promotion. (1) Lodging tax revenues under this chapter may be used, directly by any municipality or indirectly through a convention and visitors bureau or destination marketing organization for: (a) Tourism marketing; (b) The marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists; (c) Supporting the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or a public facilities district created under chapters 35.57 and 36.100 RCW; or (d) Supporting the operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations described under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) and 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(6) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended. What canWhat can Lodging TaxLodging Tax be used for?be used for? RCW 67.28.1816 Lodging tax—Tourism promotion. (1) Lodging tax revenues under this chapter may be used, directly by any municipality or indirectly through a convention and visitors bureau or destination marketing organization for: (a) Tourism marketing; (b) The marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists; (c) Supporting the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or a public facilities district created under chapters 35.57 and 36.100 RCW; or (d) Supporting the operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations described under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) and 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(6) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended. ... and housing,... and housing, tootoo RCW 67.28.160 Revenue bonds—Issuance, sale, form, term, payment, reserves, actions. (1) To carry out the purposes of this chapter including, but not limited to, financing loans or grants to nonprofit organizations or public housing authorities for affordable workforce housing within one-half mile of a transit station, the legislative body of any municipality has the power to issue revenue bonds without submitting the matter to the voters of the municipality and may pledge the special taxes provided for in this chapter to the repayment of such revenue bonds. HistoricalHistorical PrioritizationPrioritization RCW 67.28.1816 Lodging tax—Tourism promotion. (1) Lodging tax revenues under this chapter may be used, directly by any municipality or indirectly through a convention and visitors bureau or destination marketing organization for: (a) Tourism marketing; (b) The marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists; (c) Supporting the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or a public facilities district created under chapters 35.57 and 36.100 RCW; or (d) Supporting the operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations described under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) and 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(6) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended. RCW 67.28.160 Revenue bonds—Issuance, sale, form, term, payment, reserves, actions. (1) To carry out the purposes of this chapter including, but not limited to, financing loans or grants to nonprofit organizations or public housing authorities for affordable workforce housing within one-half mile of a transit station, the legislative body of any municipality has the power to issue revenue bonds without submitting the matter to the voters of the municipality and may pledge the special taxes provided for in this chapter to the repayment of such revenue bonds. 100% of JeffCo100% of JeffCo directed Lodging Taxdirected Lodging Tax has always gone tohas always gone to Destination MarketingDestination Marketing via TCC... or pamphletsvia TCC... or pamphlets What isWhat is DestinationDestination Marketing?Marketing? S p e n d i n g M o n e y o u t s i d e o f J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y t o h e l p e n c o u r a g e p e o p l e t o c o m e h e r e . H o w d o w e m e a s u r e i t s e f f e c t i v e n e s s ? I m p r e s s i o n s , m o s t l y . A n i m p e r f e c t t o o l t h a t c a n a l s o h a v e n e g a t i v e i m p a c t s . A sense of place...A sense of place... M a r k e t i n g f o r a s h o u l d e r s e a s o n d o e s n ’t p r e v e n t s u m m e r t r a v e l . I w o u l d a r g u e t h a t t h e a c t u a l a u t h e n t i c p l a c e i s a t l e a s t 9 9 % o f t h e r e a s o n p e o p l e t o u r t h e O l y m p i c P e n i n s u l a . M a y b e w e c a n w o r k o n t h e s y s t e m s a n d s t r u c t u r e s o f t h e p l a c e t h a t b r i n g s o u r v i s i t o r s . Weaknesses Threats Strengths Opportunities L a c k o f I n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d t r a n s i e n t r e n t a l s p r e v e n t s i n c r e a s i n g l o d g i n g t a x S h o r t S e a s o n L o w P a y f o r l a b o r S i l o e d b e t w e e n V I C ’s , C o u n t y , T C C H o u s i n g C r i s i s A m e n i t y T r a p E x p l o r e p u b l i c “D e s t i n a t i o n D e v e l o p m e n t ” R e p l a c e s e a s o n a l V I C ’s w i t h y e a r -r o u n d V I S S u p p o r t a L i v i n g W a g e S u p p o r t A f f o r d a b l e H o u s i n g - n e x t y e a r A I a n d o t h e r d i s r u p t i v e t e c h n o l o g i e s O l y m p i c P e n i n s u l a C o l l a b o r a t i v e c r e a t i v e c o m m u n i t y a n d s t a k e h o l d e r s RecommendationsRecommendations 01. 02. 03. Designate the priority of TCC: Destination Development. Prioritize the RCW’s allowable uses of funds for LTAC: Supporting the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities ... or a public facilities district... (and housing next year) 1. The marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists. 2. Tourism marketing3. Work with the North Hood Canal Chamber of commerce on replacing Visitor Information Centers (VIC) with Visitor Information Services (VIS) incorporating the development of local marketing materials and connections with the VIC system in a robust back end with agile front end . 04.Stop supporting printing maps and pamphlets. We want to connect just through digital methods If we defund destinationIf we defund destination marketing for two yearsmarketing for two years what will happen?what will happen? F e w e r v i s i t o r s c o m e t o J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y n e g a t i v e l y i m p a c t i n g t h e t o u r i s t i n d u s t r y ... ? T h e i n v i s i b l e h a n d o f t h e m a r k e t c o m p e n s a t e s a n d t h e s a m e o r m o r e i s s p e n t o n d e s t i n a t i o n m a r k e t i n g ... ? N o t h i n g ... ? B u t a t l e a s t w e w i l l k n o w . A sense ofA sense of perspectiveperspective Q u e e n A n n e h a s m o r e p e o p l e t h a n a l l o f J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y . W h a t i s a d r o p i n t h e b u c k e t o f m a r k e t i n g o u t t h e r e c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e c o n c r e t e d i f f e r e n c e i n v e s t i n g i n t h e p l a c e o f J e f f e r s o n C o u n t y . W e c a n b e a l i t t l e f i s h i n t h e W T A p o o l o r a b i g f i s h i n t h e J e f f C o p o o l a n d w o r k w i t h c o u n t y a n d p a r t n e r s t o l e v e r a g e L o d g i n g T a x f u n d s l i k e w e l e v e r a g e R o a d F u n d s . DestinationDestination DevelopmentDevelopment DestinationDestination DevelopmentDevelopment DestinationDestination DevelopmentDevelopment DestinationDestination DevelopmentDevelopment DestinationDestination DevelopmentDevelopment DestinationDestination DevelopmentDevelopment DestinationDestination DevelopmentDevelopment A possibleA possible workforceworkforce housinghousing investmentinvestment B a y s i d e , H a b i t a t f o r H u m a n i t y , O l y m p i c H o u s i n g T r u s t , o r t h e P e n i n s u l a H o u s i n g A u t h o r i t y a p p l y t o L T A C f o r $1 3 0 ,0 0 0 f o r t h e d o w n p a y m e n t o n t h i s $6 5 0 ,0 0 0 h o u s e i n P o r t H a d l o c k t h a t h a s f o u r b e d r o o m s . K e p t a s a r e n t a l f o r i n c o m e a t o r b e l o w 8 0 % A M I . W i t h t h a t 2 0 % b o n d f r o m L T A C , t h e n o n -p r o f i t o r H A p u r c h a s e s t h e h o u s e w i t h a m o n t h l y m o r t g a g e o f $3 ,2 5 2 i s h , p l u s a b o u t $7 5 0 /m o n t h f o r a O &M r e s e r v e a n d a d m i n , a n d w e h a v e a b o a r d i n g h o u s e w e c a n r e n t t o 4 -6 p e o p l e f o r $1 ,0 0 0 o r l e s s e a c h , i n a c o -l i v i n g e n v i r o n m e n t . A n d k e e p t h a t r e n t a l o n t h e m a r k e t p e r p e t u a l l y . 2 0 2 4 8 0 % o f A M I - S i n g l e P e r s o n : $5 0 ,4 0 0 - $@ 2 5 /h r If we can build and staff one center and distribute signs with QR codes and phone numbers to NHCCC members, public institutions and the like we create many more inputs to get tourist engaging with the one thing we want them engaging with, Jefferson Gateway. By bringing guest and concierge services under one roof with VICs, and connecting with reservations we make it easier to get and give referrals to tourism related businesses. We can have many high quality touches with each tourist once we are in their pocket- not just verbally but also a higher chance of service usage. Meet Jefferson, AI concierge in training and the reason children load the Jefferson Gateway onto their phone Three East Jefferson VICs that we support are all very different, mostly for geographic or structural reasons. With the flux of TCC and dynamics at Quilcene Ranger Station, a systemic evaluation seems due. It can be argued that in person contact is a higher contact experience for a visitor than a livestreamed or AI experirence VIC Professionals make about minimum wage, which is not a living wage anywhere in Jefferson county. Additionally the seasonal aspect of most VIC’s creates financial instability for staff (if they have a place to live) VIC VS VISVIC VS VIS Existing East County VIC’s RecommendationsRecommendations 01. 02. 03. Designate the priority of TCC: Destination Development. Prioritize the RCW’s allowable uses of funds for LTAC: Supporting the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities ... or a public facilities district... (and housing next year) 1. The marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists. 2. Tourism marketing3. Work with the North Hood Canal Chamber of commerce on replacing Visitor Information Centers (VIC) with Visitor Information Services (VIS) incorporating the development of local marketing materials and connections with the VIC system in a robust back end with agile front end . 04.Stop supporting printing maps and pamphlets. We want to connect just through digital methods