TD Council to consider removal of park district's permanent cut of room tax
John Schacher with Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation gives the Kubota and Cyclone Rake a workout several years ago at City Park in The Dalles. Upkeep at parks is ongoing. Director hopes to ensure permanent funding from room tax for basic maintenance continues.
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 8, 2024 — The Dalles City Council is set to discuss updates to the 8% transient lodging tax, including removing automatic funding for North Wasco County Parks and Recreation, at its regular meeting on Monday, Sept. 9, starting at 5:30 p.m.
Parks & Rec. currently receives 18.75 percent of the lodging tax - roughly $320,000 annually of the total $1.8 million collected.
The money that can currently be relied on pays for basic maintenance at local parks, said Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation Director Scott Baker. And its potential loss could lead to having to cut services. Baker points out that the suggested change is coming at a time when local surveys show that residents put parks at a high priority.
The lodging money is used for maintenance of the park system in The Dalles which includes 8 different parks and other recreation facilities - City Park, Firehouse Park, Howe Park, Kiwanis Park, Riverfront Park, Sorosis Park, The Dalles Skate Park, Thompson Park, Mountain Bike Skills Park, Riverfront Trail and The Dalles Aquatic Center.
Within these parks, there are over 200 acres, including athletic fields, an 18-hole disc golf course, tennis courts, shelters, restrooms, picnic areas, and playgrounds.
The park district has 12 permanent employees.
The Parks District also receives revenue through system development charges and a set property tax. The district's budget totals about $1.4 million annually with the infusion of lodging tax dollars.
The money from the transient lodging tax was originally dedicated to the parks system after the argument was made that the park system is used by tourists who come to The Dalles - for example, the Show in the Shade car show at Sorosis.
The tax was established in 1977.
The city staff report authored by City Manager Matthew Klebes and City Attorney Jonathan Kara recommends Parks & Rec. be removed from automatic lodging tax payments, and instead recommends that Parks & Rec request money through the City’s regular budgeting process.
The intent is “to enhance the city’s transient lodging tax fund spending flexibility to the maximum degree and better align with city budget allocation processes,” they wrote.
Northern Wasco County Parks Director Scott Baker said the change would be difficult for the district as they rely on the money for basic maintenance, noting the district is already spread thin.
In other business, the City Council will make decisions on the following:
Signing a contract to spend $162,000 to digitize 1.8 million city documents through funding provided through the federal government.
Purchasing a new biosolids waste truck, a Peterbilt 567 for $292,649
Establishing an Ad Hoc committee for the Federal Street Plaza project.
Consider a resolution prescribing the updated City Council Rules and Code of Conduct Policy
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