To whom it may concern,
As a local to the PNW and owner of a short-term rental in unincorporated Tillamook, I strongly believe that implementing a 50% increase in transient taxes would be a grave error for the county. Our guests are already burdened with a 10% tax to Tillamook, 1.5% to Oregon, along with cleaning fees, Airbnb fees, and more. Instead of resorting to such a drastic increase, a more reasonable approach would be to open up the waitlist for others to obtain short-term rental certificates. It seems illogical to impose restrictions on rentals while simultaneously raising costs for potential visitors to the Oregon coast. This approach simply doesn’t add up.
My husband and I have been operating and maintaining our beach cottage since 2018. We have gone along with all of the increases, the taxes, the occupancy tax, the TLT tax, the permit / license fee increases, the processing fees, etc. This is wildly inappropriate, especially right before a new administration is being sworn into office, the tariffs being threatened, the inflation and cost gauging by the large food conglomerates, etc. Our reservations dropped significantly last year and is gearing up for the same low numbers this year. Listen to those who are sharing the same sentiments.
You are ruining such a beautiful thing for Tillamook County. Mom and pop shops like us will be forced to turn our homes into a vacant home, which subsequently will turn the small town of Rockaway back into a ghost town. The locals will suffer.
Airbnb has increased their fees as of last year and TLC has increased costs. Costs all around to own our home has gone up exponentially! Increase costs of home insurance, lawn maintenance increase, property tax increase, STR license increase went from $250-$850 in year, cost of fuel to come and clean in between guests has gone up, costs of cleaning products, linens, staples included in our rental for guests has gone up, toilet paper, paper towels, etc.
Guests/tourists alike will dwindle and it will be insufferable damage to the county and unincorporated county, and especially damage to PNW locals who love our second home and just want to afford it. Were by no means getting rich, but we need to be able to afford our home.
Stop coming after STRs.
Desirée M.
STR/Nedonna/Rockaway Beach, OR
Milwaukie, OR
