Lodging Tax Advisory Committee

The seasonal Mobile Greeter Program is an award-winning visitor services initiative funded by Lodging Tax dollars and administered by Port Townsend Main Street. 

Port Townsend Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s (LTAC’s) vision of sustainable tourism is to reinvest community resources to enhance the lives of both residents and visitors. 

About Lodging Tax

Under Washington State RCW 67.28,  the City of Port Townsend and Jefferson County have the ability to levy lodging taxes, also known as “hotel/motel taxes,” on all charges for furnishing lodging at hotels, motels, and short-term rentals – including government and non-government housing and lodging accommodations where overnight stays are less than 30 days.  Lodging tax is collected as a sales tax, and the revenues must be used for eligible tourism promotion activities or tourism-related facilities. Port Townsend Lodging Tax revenue was $625,349 in 2024. 
 

Members

• Owen Rowe (Chair)  -  Elected Official, City Councilmember
• Kate Philbrick, Swan Hotel / Northwest Maritime Center  - Collector
• Rebecca Beebe, Camas Prairie Golf Park - Recipient
• Danielle McClelland, Port Townsend Film Festival  -  Recipient
• Denise Winter, Key City Public Theatre  -  Recipient
• Natalie Maitland, Port Townsend Main Street  -  Non-Voting
• Cindy Finnie  -  At Large Position
• Sarah Copley - At Large Position
   
• Vacant Positions (5)
  • Recipient (1)
  • Collector (3)
  • Non-Voting (1)

Contact the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee via email: LTAC@cityofpt.us
 

Meetings

Lodging Tax Advisory Committee meetings occur on the second Tuesday of odd months, at 3:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers at Historic City Hall, 540 Water Street. All meetings are open to the public and public comment is welcome. All scheduled meetings can be found on the Meeting Calendar and meeting agendas and minutes, including links to join the meeting on the Agendas and Minutes page.  You can review the meeting schedule with dates and deadlines for grants and grant review in the attachments below. 
 

About the Committee

The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee is authorized to engage in tourism planning and promotion activities. The Committee reviews applications for tourism promotion and tourism-related facility projects and makes recommendations to City Council regarding the projects the City should fund through lodging tax reinvestment. Members are appointed by City Council and consist of one elected official of the City who is Chair, four representatives of businesses or entities required to collect the lodging tax, four representatives involved in activities funded by the lodging tax, and two at-large members. Non-voting members with tourism expertise are invited as well. 

Are you interested in sustainable tourism and the reinvestment of lodging tax to serve our community? We are seeking members! Please see open positions above and use the general Advisory Board application form to apply.

Budget Background

The development of the LTAC budget is part of the development of the City of Port Townsend budget.  This begins nearly 6 months before the start of the subsequent year and includes state-mandated statutory milestones and deadlines.  In the 2026 Budget, LTAC proposed to City Council a budget allocation for grants for a total of $50,000.  City Council approved the 2026 City budget on November 17, 2025. 

Current lodging tax funds are distributed among a variety of initiatives, including marketing, events, infrastructure, fee waivers and debt service. For a summary of the yearly approach to LTAC meetings and the development of the LTAC budget, view the 2026 annual schedule, approved LTAC budget, and LTAC workplan attachments at the bottom of this page. 

Get to Know Our Work

The overarching work of the Lodging Tax Advisory Commitee is to guide Destination Stewardship for the City. This includes initiatives in Destination Development and Destination Marketing, funded by Lodging Tax and approved by City Council through the annual budget process. This is functionally implemented by the City's Communications and Marketing Director, who utilizes local contractors to do much of the work. 

Destination Development work includes, but is not limited to:

• Downtown and Uptown winter lighting
• Visitor Services at the Welcome Center with Northwest Maritime
• The Mobile Greeter Program administered by Main Street
• The community event readerboard on Sims Way
• Signage and wayfinding initiatives
• Big Belly trash compactors in Downtown
• Debt service for past infrastructure projects
   

Marketing work includes, but is not limited to:

• A grant funding program for local non-profit organizations (see more detail below)
• A destination brochure and map distributed on the WA State ferry system
• Annual winter campaign
• A marketing co-op partnership with Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission (OPTC)
• Year-round ads in print and digital across the Pacific Northwest and into Canada
• 2025 re-brand including new logos, colors, messaging, and strategies
• Enjoypt.com and EnjoyPT social media channels
• Creative District / Arts & Culture support
• Facility rental waivers for Pope Marine and Cotton Buildings

LTAC GRANT PROGRAM

Application Deadline: Monday, January 5, 2026, 5:00PM

Grant Review Meeting Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 3:00 - 5:00PM

Total funding available this year: $50,000

The City of Port Townsend Lodging Tax Advisory Committee invites proposals from eligible non-profit organizations for funding activities that serve a vision of sustainable tourism to reinvest community resources to enhance the lives of both residents and visitors. 

LTAC will review proposals for funding with an intent to award grants totaling $50,000 in one round this year.  We anticipate that funding requests for projects, events, or marketing will be awarded between $1,000 - $10,000. LTAC may decide to award partial funding to entities based on their proposal.

All proposals must meet the minimum statutory requirements of RCW 67.28. Further information and guidance can also be found at: https://mrsc.org/Home/Explore-Topics/Finance/Revenues/Lodging-Tax.aspx.  If funded, organizers must demonstrate that they have acquired any required permits.

As part of the application process, proposals will be evaluated against prioritized required and desired criteria, and funding decisions are made in open public meetings of the Advisory Body, with an opportunity for public comment, applicant Q&A, and Committee discussion. 

New for 2026! LTAC representatives and staff will meet with grant awardees in mid to late January to share how to get the most out of your LTAC grant funds and how to ensure you are successful in gathering and sharing the data required for an LTAC grant. Stay tuned for the dates.

READY TO APPLY?
 

READ FIRST:
Grant Guidelines and FAQ
Required and Desired Grant Criteria

A webinar about applying for LTAC grants was recorded in early 2025 and may be helpful if you are a first-time applicant. It is available on our YouTube channel.

Tools for Applicants:
Optional Budget Template: Request at LTAC@cityofpt.us
 

>>>>>>>>>ENTER Applicant Portal<<<<<<<<<

Questions about grants or the application form not working correctly? Email ltac@cityofpt.us