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(1) Purpose. Expenditures from the civic improvement fund shall be made only for the purposes of paying all or any part of the cost of acquisition, construction, or operating of stadium facilities, and/or convention center facilities, performing arts center facilities, and/or visual arts center facilities or to pay or secure the payment of all or any portion of general obligation bonds or revenue bonds issued for such purpose or for purposes under Chapter 67.28 RCW, and/or to pay for advertising, publicizing or other distributing information for the purpose of attracting visitors and encouraging tourist expansion for the City of Pullman. No expenditure shall be made from such fund unless the City Council approves such expenditure by passing an ordinance appropriating money within the fund for the purpose for which the expenditure is to be made or by including an appropriation for such purpose in the budget.

(2) Uses of Funds. The City Council shall submit to the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission, for its review and comment, proposals on: (a) imposition of a tax under Chapter 67.28 RCW; (b) any increase in the rate of such a tax; (c) repeal of an exemption from such a tax; (d) use, or a change in the use, of revenue received from such a tax. The City Council shall submit any such proposal at least forty-five (45) days before taking final action on such a proposal. The Lodging Tax Advisory Commission shall submit written comments to the City Council on the proposal and may provide oral comments during a public meeting prior to Council’s final action on the proposal. The comments shall include an analysis of the extent to which the proposal will accommodate activities for tourists or increase tourism, and the extent to which the proposal will affect the long-term stability of the fund created under RCW 67.28.1815. Failure of the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission to submit comments before final action on or passage of the proposal shall not prevent the City Council from acting on the proposal. The City is not required to submit an amended proposal to the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission prior to taking final action after the 45-day comment period.

(3) Discretionary Lodging Tax Grant Program. During the annual budget process, the City Council may determine the amount to be appropriated from this fund for the discretionary lodging tax grant program administered by the City and shall include such appropriation in the adopted budget, in an amount not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the annual average revenue deposited in the civic improvement fund. No expenditures from the funds appropriated for the lodging tax grant program shall be made without the recommendation of the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission and the final action of the City Council approving the grant award. All grant expenditures shall be done on a reimbursement basis only and shall be supported by written documentation of the expense and prior approval by City staff that the expense is an eligible use of monies in this fund.

(4) Funding of Annual Festivals and Events. During the annual budget process, the City Council may determine the amount to be appropriated from this fund for the award of multi-year grants to fund the marketing and operations of annual festivals and events and shall include such appropriation in the adopted budget, provided, the total annual appropriation for festivals and events shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the annual average revenue deposited in the civic improvement fund. No expenditures from the funds appropriated for annual festivals and events shall be made without the recommendation of the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission. All multi-year grant expenditures shall be done on a reimbursement basis only and shall be supported by written documentation of the expense and prior approval by City staff that the expense is an eligible use of monies in this fund.

(5) Contracts for Tourism Promotion or Tourism Facility Operations. All contracts for tourism promotion services or the operation of a convention and visitors bureau or destination marketing organization under RCW 67.28.1816 shall only be awarded by the City after a review and recommendation by the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission. Proposed recipients of such contracts must provide the commission with estimates of how services funded with lodging tax revenue will result in persons traveling to Pullman for business or pleasure and any contract for such services shall provide for the monthly reporting of actual data showing the number of persons traveling to Pullman for business or pleasure as a result of the contracted services or operations. Such contracts shall have a minimum initial term of two (2) years and may be renewed for additional two-year terms following the review and recommendation of the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission. No more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the annual average revenue deposited in the civic improvement fund shall be allocated to the annual funding of contracts for tourism promotion agency services or tourism facility operations.

(6) Capital Facilities. The capital costs or operational expenses of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by the City or a public facilities district may be funded by the civic improvement fund. Such funding shall be appropriated by the City Council through the budget process, provided, the Lodging Tax Advisory Commission has previously reviewed the proposed use of funds and made a recommendation on such proposal. (Ord. 22-6 §1, 2022; Ord. 81-27 §3, 1981).