Clallam County eyes second set of lodging tax applications

Increase more than doubles support from 2023

PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners are set to approve a second round of lodging tax expenditures at their next regular meeting that will bring the total to more than twice that of last year, according to Mark Lane, the county’s chief financial officer.

The meeting is set for 10 a.m. April 30 in the commissioners’ meeting room at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St. in Port Angeles.

The 15 applications totalling $675,804.65 recommended for approval by the lodging tax advisory committee consist of the following:

• $157,500 to the Washington Festival and Events Association

• $14,209.65 to Olympic Theatre Arts

• $49,500 to the Peninsula Trails Coalition

• $15,600 to Clallam Transit System

• $15,000 to the Clallam Bay/Sekiu Visitors Center

• $12,500 to the Olympic Peninsula Fungus Festival

• $41,600 to StormKing FC

• $75,000 to Clallam County Parks

• $84,400 to Clallam County Public Works

• $15,000 to the city of Forks

• $29,495 to Fiero Marine Life Center

• $15,000 to the Port Angeles Fine Arts

• $100,000 to the Clallam County Waterfront Center/District

• $30,000 to the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce

• $21,000 to Port Angeles Youth Basketball

Lane wrote in an email Monday that the applications set to be considered are the second round for 2024, with the first round, which totalled $1,382,891, approved in November.

“Along with $420,000 of (lodging tax) funding previously allocated to public works in support of the Olympic Discovery Trail that was carried over from 2023 to 2024, the revised 2024 lodging tax expenditures will total $2,478,696. This is an increase of $1,375,276 over last year,” Lane wrote.

Those 14 applications consisted of the following:

• $29,355 to the Port Angeles Marathon Association

• $45,000 to the Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club

• $35,230 to the Neah Bay Chamber of Commerce

• $12,500 to the Sequim Irrigation Festival

• $39,806.06 to the Lincoln Park BMX Association

• $25,000 to Clallam County Parks for day use parks

• $19,000 to Clallam County Parks for seasonal staff for day use parks

• $800,000 to the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau

• $5,000 to Ian’s Ride

• $20,000 to Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association

• $35,000 to the Forks Chamber of Commerce

• $9,500 to the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts

• $300,000 to the Port Angeles Waterfront Center

• $7,500 to the Port Angeles City Ballet

Lodging tax revenue supports projects that encourage overnight stays. The county’s lodging tax fund is supported by a 4 percent consumer tax on stays at lodging establishments. The tax is taken as a credit against the 6.5 percent state sales tax.

State statute requires an advisory committee to review all proposed expenditures from the lodging tax fund and make recommendations to the county commissioners.

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Reporter Brian Gawley can be reached at brian.gawley@peninsuladailynews.com.

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