Dear Editor,
As the City Council takes up the Visit Grants Pass tourism contract renewal, at the Workshop on Monday, 5/4, and the Meeting on Wednesday, 5/6, one fact demands attention before a vote: Council received zero reports from VGP in 2025, despite a current contract that explicitly requires quarterly reporting. That is not a technicality — it is a fundamental breakdown of accountability.
Visit Grants Pass is requesting $4 million over five years, a figure tied to projected Transient Lodging Tax revenue. Some Councilors appear ready to approve this without audited financials, without a paper trail, and without ever having enforced the reporting requirements. That should concern every taxpayer in this city.
The City Council owns this problem. It may be tempting to point fingers at the City Manager or the Community Development Director, but elected officials are responsible for oversight. Council failed to demand the reports it was owed in 2025, and it risks compounding that failure now by committing five more years of funding before accounting for the money already spent.
$4 million over five years is an excessive ask for a city of Grants Pass’s size. Oregon has more than 120 transient lodging tax jurisdictions. The rough statewide average for tourism promotion spending is approximately $400,000 per year — a figure that is itself skewed upward by Portland, Bend, and other major destinations. Smaller Oregon cities spend considerably less.
Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 4148, reducing the required share for tourism promotion from 70% to 50%, giving cities more flexibility to spend on local services. I’m sure that you all can think of other services that need funding. Councilor Seth Benham has been receiving compensation from Visit Grants Pass since 2021; he needs to step down from the Dias during discussion and voting.
My recommendation is straightforward: Fund Visit Grants Pass at $500,000 for one year. Before any multi-year renewal is considered, require a full independent audit of 2025 and 2026 expenditures. Accountability first, then commitment.
Toni Webb – Grants Pass, OR