Eight different tourism-related events and projects will receive full funding from the city of Langley’s lodging tax funds for 2024.

Langley, like most municipalities and counties in the state, adopted a 2% lodging tax, sometimes referred to as the motel/hotel tax. Under state law, revenues from the tax must be used to fund activities promoting tourism or tourism-related facilities or attractions.

At a city council meeting Monday night, Inge Morascini, chairperson of the citizen-led Lodging Tax Advisory Commission, reported that the commission received eight applications for the funds, totaling a record-breaking $98,100. Recap of available lodging tax funds shows that the there is an anticipated $122,000, meaning there will be money left over.

In order of ranked priority, the projects and events include $25,000 for the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, $15,000 for Langley Whale Center and Welcome Whales, $12,000 for Island Shakespeare Festival, $10,000 for Little Big Fest, $12,500 for the Highway 525 Langley Kiosk, $11,600 for the South Whidbey Historical Society, $5,000 for Snohomish Spring Pathways and $7,000 for the Whidbey Island Fair.

Morascini informed the council that the replacement of both the Highway 525 sign and city entrance signs are not considered in the list of projects.

Commission members included suggestions for how the funding should be used for some of the organizations. For example, for the Whidbey Island Fair, they recommended “redirecting the requested monies to a shoulder or off-season event to expand the ability of this well-established entity to draw guests during another time of year.”

The city council unanimously accepted the commission’s funding recommendation fully without question.

“I think we’re very lucky to have these organizations put their time and effort into these, and we have the money to do it,” Councilmember Rhonda Salerno said. “That’s what the money is for. The lodging tax comes from our lodging facilities, and they want us to bring people in.”

Councilmember Craig Cyr wondered if lodging tax funds could be used for housing, and said he was working to verify the authenticity of that statement.