This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

           Let’s take a look at some of the facts about the hotel-motel room tax.

           We note that the Fairgrounds board has initially opposed the two percent increase in the tax because it may initially reduce their share of the funds.

Having been one of the County Commissioners who drafted the program at the beginning, I’m in a position to review the positions when it was drafted and the changes that have come since that time in the late 1970s.

At the time that we were considering the tax, our fairgrounds were in pretty bad shape.   We did have a grandstand and a race track, but the exhibit building was an old structure.  Financing of the fairgrounds was a huge problem.

It was decided that the county’s share of the tax would be dedicated to the fairgrounds.   It was not meant as a forever thing, but rather a long range effort to improve the fairgrounds which it certainly has done. 

The city of Klamath Falls earmarked its/ share for recreation and parks.

Initially a segment of the money was earmarked for tourists promotion and was to go to the Chamber of Commerce.

We also inserted a clause that at each five year interval there would be a review of the number of hotels and motels within a city.  It was felt that the city would grow and take in other hotels and motels and that its share could thus be increased.

Then came some big changes in the distribution of the money.  First there was a challenge to the amount going to the Chamber of Commerce on the grounds that the taxes could not be farmed out, as it were.  The funding for tourism eventually wound up in a private enterprise despite the earlier court ruling.

Never did the Commissioners indicate that they would never raise the tax.  We realized that future events would control the level of the tax.

Currently the six per cent tax is undoubtedly the lowest in the state, and certainly the increase is warranted.

           Actually our museums are a tourist attraction along with the Favell museum.  Time and again funding for the museums have become critical.

           The museums certainly deserve this added financial support since they, too, bring people to the area.

We would hope that the Fairground board realizes that they will also benefit in the long run and hope they will support the increase at the polls.

This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.

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Text Box:   This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.            Let’s take a look at some of the facts about the hotel-motel room tax.            We note that the Fairgrounds board has initially opposed the two percent increase in the tax because it may initially reduce their share of the funds. Having been one of the County Commissioners who drafted the program at the beginning, I’m in a position to review the positions when it was drafted and the changes that have come since that time in the late 1970s. At the time that we were considering the tax, our fairgrounds were in pretty bad shape.   We did have a grandstand and a race track, but the exhibit building was an old structure.  Financing of the fairgrounds was a huge problem. It was decided that the county’s share of the tax would be dedicated to the fairgrounds.   It was not meant as a forever thing, but rather a long range effort to improve the fairgrounds which it certainly has done.  The city of Klamath Falls earmarked its/ share for recreation and parks. Initially a segment of the money was earmarked for tourists promotion and was to go to the Chamber of Commerce. We also inserted a clause that at each five year interval there would be a review of the number of hotels and motels within a city.  It was felt that the city would grow and take in other hotels and motels and that its share could thus be increased. Then came some big changes in the distribution of the money.  First there was a challenge to the amount going to the Chamber of Commerce on the grounds that the taxes could not be farmed out, as it were.  The funding for tourism eventually wound up in a private enterprise despite the earlier court ruling. Never did the Commissioners indicate that they would never raise the tax.  We realized that future events would control the level of the tax. Currently the six per cent tax is undoubtedly the lowest in the state, and certainly the increase is warranted.            Actually our museums are a tourist attraction along with the Favell museum.  Time and again funding for the museums have become critical.            The museums certainly deserve this added financial support since they, too, bring people to the area. We would hope that the Fairground board realizes that they will also benefit in the long run and hope they will support the increase at the polls. This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE.        

Text Box: 10/19/06