Oregon‘s Ontario City may charge its tourists with ten percent Transient Occupancy Tax, an increase of one percent from the current one, a report said.
Ontario City Council listened to the suggestion of citizen Bob Boyd and Councilor Ken Hart about how the city can aid in maintaining the pool when it reopens, a report said.
The city is no longer the owner of the pool. They transferred ownership of the pool and related assets to Ontario Recreation District after voters approved its formation in 2018. Prior to this, the pool had been shut down since 2013 after maintenance costs became too expensive.
In the public comments portion of the council’s meeting on Tuesday, Boyd declared that the Recreation District is committed to getting the pool back using money from the taxpayers, help from the city, and an upcoming fundraiser. He stated that plans are to have it completed before the end of summer in 2023 or earlier. He added that a survey indicates this as top priority.
In this regard, he proposed an idea to ensure the pool’s operation in the coming years by introducing a 1% increase in the transient occupancy tax, which could be divided between the Malheur County Fairgrounds and the pool.
At the end of the meeting, the city manager Adam Brown stated that the TOT tax for the city is currently nine percent and explained that it’s divided across multiple funds. He also said that Councilor Ken Hart asked whether the fairgrounds and the pool can be classified as “tourism-related activities,” as stipulated by the Legislature for a 70/30 split for these funds.
Brown said the facilities draw people to the city and that they were in compliance with guidelines.
Hart said that the effect is for those who stay in hotels or connect to RV parks for less than 30 days. He also noted that additional revenues would amount to around $120,000 annually.
He suggested that the city increase the rate from nine percent to ten percent, with 75 percent of it being devoted to pool operations and the remaining to the fairgrounds.
Hill ended the discussion with a statement saying that hotel and RV park owners will be given the opportunity to make comments.
It’s encouraging to see the proposal for a 1% increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax to support the maintenance and reopening of Ontario City’s pool. Allocating the revenue to the fairgrounds and the pool will improve tourism-related activities, benefiting both visitors and the community. This move is a positive step, ensuring the sustainability of the pool and contributing to the area’s appeal for tourists.