HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-1127 SS MIN MINUTES
Study Session
Novembers27, 1973
A study session was held at 7:30 P.M. in the.Council Chambers of City Hall
on the above date. Mayor Fries and all councilm~n were present, as well as
Park Commissioner D'Ol~vo, Bernard, Mills, and Bennett, Parks Director
McGuire, Administrator Almquist, City Attorney Salter, Recorder Butler,
and about 15 citizens.
Mayor Fries opened the meeting by announcing that the meeting was for dis-
cussion only and no decision could be made. He then read a report of
information he had gleaned from officials of other Oregon cities and their
prediction that a state-wide motel-hotel tax will soon become a reality,
and recommended that the city enact a 5% bed tax with the proceeds to go
to the general fund. He then read letters from John Valentine and Dick
Cottle opposing the tax.
McCannon read a letter from Frank MacGraw supporting the tax with a port-
ion of the funds being used for park land acquisition. McCannon reported
that he had received other letters and telephone calls of a similar mature,
and suggested that 40% of such a tax be earmarked for park acquistion.
A.R. Baker, owner of Royal Crest Motel in Medford, and Ed Ferris, the owner
of the Red Lion Motel in Medford spoke~in opposition to the tax. Don
Monsour, Columbia H6tel, said many of~j~otel rooms are on a monthly basis
and the tax would drive his monthly rate up tolwhere it was no longer
competitive. McCannon answered that many cities with a bed tax exempt
those receipts from monthly rentals.
On question from Allen, Finance Director Nelson said he
bed tax would bring in from $17,000 to $22,000 per year
occupancy factor with 190 to 210 units in the city.
estimated a 5%
based on a 63%
Motel owners Fred Taylor, Cliff Moran, and Peter ~eschke all spoke against
the proposed tax andstresse~ that tour guides shop for the lowest prices.
Prickett suggested a property tax levy to acquire park land.
Conklin felt the timing of this motel tax propos~ was less
because the present energy crisis is hurting the motels.
than dis~rable
Parks Chairman D'Olivo said the Commission supports the Ashland Greenway
concept, but that their first priority for development is for neighborhood
schools parks, and acquistion of Ashland Creek land had been number 10
on their list of priorities, but now that funds are available, he felt
land acquistion would be next in priority to development of school parks.
goderberg said she is in favor of saving Ashland Creek, but not in favor
of a bed tax unless done on a regional basis.
Kathy Newcomb said she is in favor of a bed rax and also favor~ acquiring
park land.
Alle~ expressed concern that city officials are constantly looking for
more ways to tax people and suggested we should be studying ways to reduce
taxes.
McGuire asked the Council to give some direction to the Park Commission to
enable them to re-align their goals, to which Conklin.agreed, saying the
Council needs to establish priorities and determin, for example, if a justice
center has higher priority than park land acquistion.
Allen and McGuire discussed the establishment of a non-profit corporation
to acquire land for parks and then sell to the city.
Don Laws, S.O. C. professor, spoke in favor of the bed tax a.nd park land
development, but questioned timing on the bed t~x.
Edith Williams said she understood the Bear Creek Greenway Committee
expects each city in the valley to contribute to the Greenway. Soderberg
said that committee was looking to Ashland to develop Ashland Creek as its
contribution to the total plan.
Fries reported we were invited to become a member of the Bicentennial
Committee, and he turned the invitation over to Soderberg, Chairman of
Ashland's Centennial Committee.
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 P.M.
J~sepb/M. Butler, Recorder