A group of Oregon cities is asking for more freedom on how they spend their tourism revenue.
Transient lodging taxes are collected from people staying in hotels, B&Bs, and other short-term dwellings.
Currently, when a local government in Oregon imposes or raises this tax, they have to spend 70% of the revenue to promote tourism or support tourism-related facilities.
Now, the League of Oregon Cities is asking state lawmakers to change the law, so local governments can use that money instead on public safety, infrastructure, and housing.
The League's Legislative Director, Jim McCauley, said tourist destinations—such as cities on the Oregon coast—can be overburdened when events there attract hundreds of thousands of people.
“They don't have enough funding to take care of the infrastructure hit that you have with that kind of influx of tourism into those communities," said McCauley.
McCauley said the League, a lobbying group that represents Oregon's incorporated cities, has tried to get this law changed for multiple years, but to no avail.
The reforms are now one of the League's legislative priorities for 2025.
This year, the League also wants to pass a law ensuring recreational use immunity, so landowners and cities aren't liable for injuries on their land that's open to the public. A previously-approved bill on that topic has a sunset clause, meaning it won't be in effect much longer.
The League's other legislative priorities include changes to Oregon's "time, place and manner" law for public camping bans, the adoption of a new road use fee, and more funding for homeless shelters and water infrastructure.
Oregon’s next legislative session begins Jan. 21.
