“Pennies from Heaven” might be the theme song for the 2013 lodging tax facilities awards approved by the county council at its Aug. 28 meeting.
Except that more than pennies were showered on the recipients.
The money – $350,000 to be distributed in 2013 – comes from a two percent state tax imposed as a sales tax add-on for overnight stays in the county. Another two percent tax is used for “tourist promotion,” currently under contract with the San Juan Islands Visitor’s Bureau, to be awarded later this year. Friday Harbor receives similar, though lesser amounts for lodging taxes collected in the town.
The county’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee recommended allocations to 13 projects out of 28 applicants seeking funding. County Councilman Jamie Stephens, the council liaison to the advisory committee, advocated on behalf of the committee recommendations.
Of the eight projects funded last year and re-applying this year, seven received renewed funding – albeit with cuts, some of which were restored after Auditor Milene Henley informed the council that current tax collections would appear to increase the amount of funding available by as much as $80,000. The council asked that the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee reconvene in the fall to consider recommendations for spending any additional added amounts.
The largest allocations, as in past years, went to five organizations: Lopez Island Chamber of Commerce ($6,500); San Juan County Fair ($47,500); Lopez, Orcas and San Juan museums ($63,000, combined); Orcas, Lopez and San Juan Performing Arts Center ($82,200, combined); and San Juan County Parks ($133,000). Other projects receiving renewed funding were the Orcas Farmers Market ($3,000, a $3,500 reduction last year), and the Agriculture Resources Committee ($6,000, a $7,300 reduction).
New funding requests receiving advisory committee and council approval were $1,000 for the San Juan County Arts Council, $8,000 for new trash facilities requested by the Orcas Chamber of Commerce, $1,500 for the Orcas Island Education Foundation Cider Fest, $9,000 for a Youth Film Makers Series requested by the Orcas Chamber, $5,000 for the San Juan Island Museum of Art and Sculpture Park, and $1,000 for the Triple Ripple Trail Running Festival, hosted by the Funhouse-Commons of Orcas.
Future funding is up in the air. A current state law provision that permits non-government-owned facilities to receive lodging tax funds is scheduled to expire next year. Councilman Stephens says he and other officials from around the state have asked the legislature to reinstate the provision.
