Support room tax increases
Published 11:16 am Friday, November 15, 2013
As a Bend business owner and community member, I encourage you to vote yes on Measures 9-94 and 9-96.
These measures will create a small increase in the tax tourists pay to stay in local hotels.
For example, a Bend visitor paying $100 a night for a room would see an increase of $1.40 a night. It’s a small amount, but over 10 years, it adds up to in $2.4 million for Bend’s police and fire departments, $3.8 million for tourism promotion and $1.8 million for the arts.
Any healthy economy relies on many factors. In Bend, we get a vital economic contribution from those visiting our city. These measures not only work to boost tourism in the shoulder seasons but will assist in maintaining our vital services and the arts community.
Most importantly, this measure is fair. Bend’s current tax rate is 9 percent, and the increase will raise it to 10.4 percent. By comparison, Portland’s rate is 14.5 percent and Seattle’s is 15.8 percent. Raising the rate will bring us closer to the industry standard, and asking visitors to pay a small amount for their impact on our area’s services is reasonable.
We all love this community; fortunately, many from outside the area enjoy spending time here, as well. We should use this opportunity to take a step toward making our economy more stable. Vote yes on Measures 9-94 and 9-96.
Teague Hatfield
Bend