HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/24/2009 04B Minutes 02-17-2009 Council Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Meeting.
City Manager's Conference boom
Meeting Minutes
for
February 17, 2009
In Attendance: Councilmember Kathy Coffey Chairman; Committee Members: Sara Allen, John
Cooper, Dennis Hogenson, Jay Wildgen; Staff City Manager Dick Zais, Senior Assistant Attorney
Helen Harvey, Deputy Director, AcctgBudget Cindy Epperson
Absent: Committee Members: Angie Girard, excused; Colette Keeton, excused
Chairman Kathy Coffey opened the meeting at 9:05 a.m., and gave an overview of the application to
request use of Lodging Tax funds. Discussion followed, with the general, consensus being that the
application included good, pertinent information that the committee would require to make decisions as to
the future allocation of lodging tax.
The question was asked whether the existing users of lodging tax (i.e. Yakima Valley Visitors and
Convention Bureau (YVVCB), and the Capitol Theatre Committee (CTC)) would be required to submit the
® application annually. City staff then explained the process by which the lodging tax is allocated among the
existing uses in the City's budget process. Any increase in management fee for either organization is
presented to the entire City Council as a Policy Issue, which identifies the amount of the increase requested
and the underlying reasons /justification. After discussion by the committee, the consensus was that the
Committee would review the policy issues, but that these organizations would not be required to complete
the full application.
The Committee then discussed how to notify other organizations of the application process. Because of the
limited amount of Lodging Tax available for other uses, it was decided by consensus that the committee
would review funding availability in July, and notify potential users by word of mouth, instead of a formal
public notification process.
The 5 -year history. of Lodging Tax receipts and recent downward trends were presented and discussed. It
, was noted that there is a 2 month lag between the taxable event and the receipt of the tax by the City. The
Committee requested that monthly Lodging Tax receipts be submitted for their review in light of the
current economic downturn.
In 2008 the Central Washington Fair Association had made a request to the Mayor for the City of Yakima
to assist in paying for the refurbishing of a basketball floor used during WIAA tournaments. Dennis
Hogenson moved, and Jay Wildgen seconded a motion that the City Manager communicate to the CWFA
that the request would not be funded by lodging tax because of the decline in receipts.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 a.m.
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