In an effort to connect with a greater number of members (and follow social distancing guidelines), ORLA is transitioning our regional meetings into Virtual Town Halls.

ORLA members are invited to join ORLA's regional representatives and government affairs staff for a conversation on COVID-19 and the impacts on hospitality businesses. In addition to covering the agenda below, we want to hear from members. Please RSVP to your town hall by emailing your regional representative and include any additional questions you would like ORLA to address.
 
Meeting Agenda to Include:

• COVID-19 information you need to know
• Support you need from SAIF
• What your industry peers in your region are asking about
• Actions you can take now
• Your questions answered – live Q&A chat

Upcoming Virtual Town Hall Meetings:

Thursday, April 2 | 9:30-10:30am
Marion, Polk Counties
RSVP to Greg Staneruck

Thursday, April 2 | 1:30-2:30pm
Josephine, Jackson Counties
RSVP to Terry Hopkins

Friday, April 3 | 11:00am-12:00pm
Eastern Oregon (Hermiston, Pendleton, etc.)
RSVP to Steve Scardina

Friday, April 3 | 1:30-2:30pm
Clatsop, Tillamook Counties
RSVP to Greg Staneruck

Tuesday, April 7 | 11:00am-12:00pm
Lane, Lincoln Counties
RSVP to Terry Hopkins (Lane) or Greg Staneruck (Lincoln)

Wednesday, April 8 | 9:30-10:30am
Central Oregon
RSVP to Terry Hopkins

Thursday, April 9 | 11:00am-12:00pm
Portland
RSVP to Steve Scardina

At their most recent meeting, the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) Board of Directors voted unanimously (with 1 abstention) to support a legislative bill which will originate from Governor Brown’s office in support of a permanent 1.8% statewide lodging tax rate during the 2020 Oregon Legislative Session. Revenue raised by the statewide lodging tax is invested in Travel Oregon’s efforts to strengthen the economic impact of our state’s tourism industry. Oregon’s statewide lodging tax is currently collected at a rate of 1.8% with a reduction in the rate scheduled to take effect as of July 1, 2020 to a permanent rate of 1.5%.

“We appreciate Governor Brown’s proactive outreach to meet with ORLA and some of our key lodging stakeholders in person to discuss the merits of keeping the statewide lodging tax rate at 1.8% permanently,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of ORLA. “Our goals for lodging tax rate structures in Oregon are two-fold – protecting all statewide lodging tax resources to create return on investment for the industry through the efforts of Travel Oregon and protecting local lodging tax reforms passed in the 2003 Legislative Session.”

Oregon continues to experience healthy growth in tourism spending logging our ninth consecutive year of industry growth in 2018. Compared to 2017, visitor spending was up 4.2% reaching a record $12.3 billion. Industry employment was also up year over year by 2.9% to approximately 115,400. Year over year, hotel room revenue increased by 4.4% as well.

“We have seen firsthand what strategic investments in tourism promotion can do when industry tax dollars are put to their most effective use,” said Brandt. “With many other competing priorities in the Capitol, it is essential the association protects the appropriate use of these dollars at both the local and state levels. The economic impacts we are seeing are significant not just for our industry but for our public sector partners as well.”

The U.S. Travel Association tracks statewide economic impact throughout the country and assists states in quantifying the value of year over year tourism growth. The most recently available data notates Oregon’s tourism growth at 5.3% when comparing 2016 to 2017, further substantiating the value of healthy tourism growth for Oregon’s public sector. From 2016 to 2017, Oregon experienced visitor spending growth of $652 million. That increase in spending and associated payroll income tax increases equates to as many as 410 firefighter positions, 380 police officer positions, or 380 teacher positions.

ORLA continues to focus on the protection of local lodging tax dollars for tourism promotion and tourism related facilities in addition to support given to Governor Brown’s upcoming legislative bill for the statewide resource. Oregon’s local lodging tax structure can be complicated with over 110 different city and county jurisdictions collecting a transient lodging tax outside of the 1.8% statewide tax. Important guidelines have been in place for the past 16 years for how local lodging tax dollars can be spent. To clarify those parameters, ORLA recently produced a new instructional video to assist all stakeholders and the general public in better understanding the rules which govern local lodging tax resources.

The new video specific to local lodging taxes (not to be confused with Oregon’s 1.8% statewide lodging tax) can be viewed here:

• Oregon Lodging Tax Defined (video)

For more information about the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association’s policies on transient lodging taxes, please reach out to Greg Astley, ORLA’s Director of Government Affairs, at astley@oregonrla.org via email.

On June 30, the Oregon Legislature officially came to a close. The 2019 session was marked by hyper-partisanship, two walkouts by Senate Republicans and dozens of new laws affecting the hospitality industry. Several key bills will affect how restaurants and lodging properties conduct business in the near future. Watch for ORLA's full recap of the session coming soon to the Advocacy page.

Here are a few quick updates:

HB 2005 – Paid Family and Medical Leave

• Hard cap of 12 weeks paid leave + 4 weeks unpaid (if OFLA eligible) with 2 additional weeks for complicated medical pregnancy 
• Must be employed for 90-days before job protections kick in 
• 1% Premium split 60% worker and 40% employer 
• Employers with less than 25 employees don’t pay the “employer premium” (40% of 1% of payroll)
• Statewide preemption on all paid family and medical leave related issues.

Effective date is September 28, 2019 with rule making being completed by September 1, 2021 and contributions beginning January 1, 2022.  Employees may begin using the benefit January 1, 2023.

SB 90 – Plastic Straws on request
Plastic straws in restaurants are now only available “on request” unless a customer is using the drive through and then employees may ask the customer if they would like a straw. Effective as of June 13, 2019. 

HB 2509 – Plastic Bag Ban
Single use disposable plastic bags are banned from restaurants and grocery stores.  Retailers may charge for paper bags. Effective date is January 1, 2020. Read HB 2509 Enrolled.

HB 3137 – Collection of local lodging taxes by Oregon Department of Revenue
Provides that transient lodging tax becomes due when occupancy of transient lodging with respect to which tax is imposed ends. This bill will help eliminate the issue of properties collecting and remitting the lodging tax to the state and then if a customer cancels, having to go back and recover the lodging tax paid in order to refund the customer the tax. Effective date January 1, 2020.

SB 248 – Increase in certain fees charged by OLCC
Fees for OLCC licenses will double effective July 1, 2019. Negotiated separately from this bill is the option to renew an OLCC alcohol license every two years instead of annually. 

Business Association Letter to the Revenue Committees

​The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is one of 22 business associations who signed the following letter submitted to the revenue committees on March 21, 2019.

As representatives of Oregon’s leading private-sector employers, we recognize that the Legislature intends to pass significant new taxes this year, most of which will fall on Oregon’s businesses, small and large.

As we consider tax proposals, our organizations will be guided by the following principles:

1. Gross receipt taxes are bad for consumers. The pyramiding characteristics of a GRT distort the true tax rate, unfairly impacting some products and industries more than others. With a GRT, many products can be taxed multiple times before they reach the final consumer, resulting in higher prices that will be borne by allOregonians on such critical items as food.
2. Short-term and long-term stable funding for schools is critical, but cost control must be part of the plan. We support targeted investments to improve education outcomes, but new revenue is only part of the equation. Tax increases must be accompanied by cost control, starting with PERS, which has been draining money away from classrooms for years. Schools will not be helped unless the ever-increasing PERS burden is addressed. Before raising taxes on any Oregonians, the Legislature must act to control costs.
3. Tax reform requires a comprehensive review for business and employees. We will participate in conversations about tax reform that take a broad view of Oregon’s tax system rather than focusing singularly on one new tax concept. And we ask for recognition that any major tax reform will require a years-long transition, with thoughtful planning and execution for all parties.
4. New taxes should be fairly assessed. We will consider tax options that are broad based, recognize the needs of low-margin businesses and maintain a level playing field when it comes to competitive relationships.
5. Reforms should have a positive effect on Oregon’s economy. We will insist that the impact to Oregon’s economy, and particularly the ability of private-sector businesses to grow and retain jobs, be considered carefully, not only in terms of a new tax proposal, but also in light of the cumulative costs of all of the legislation expected to be passed in 2019. As the state economists warn of an economic slowdown in 2020, the potentially negative impact of major tax increases must be weighed.
6. We will oppose a gross receipts tax. As representatives of the business community, we are making a good-faith effort to understand the tax proposals on the table during this legislative session, so that we can participate in conversations effectively and ensure the impact to Oregon’s employers are understood. We request that the Legislature keep our principles in mind as they develop a revenue package and that they include us, as representatives of the private-sector employer community, in those discussions.

The Oregon Legislature is considering HB 3023 which will create statewide standards for rideshare companies, drivers, and vehicles in Oregon. ORLA supports this bill as it sets standards for driver background checks, vehicle safety, and insurance - important factors in providing affordable and safe transportation options.

• Read ORLA's letter to the House Committee on Business and Labor and House Leadership.
  
  

This is just one of hundreds of bills ORLA is engaged and/or monitoring. You can track our progress on priority bills throughout the legislative session on ORLA's website at OregonRLA.org/billtracking.

House Bill (HB) 2020, the “Cap and Trade” bill, would raise prices on users of natural gas which include restaurants, lodging properties and manufacturers around the state. This legislation could increase the cost of living for Oregonians by $50 to $125 a month, give appointed officials the authority to increase taxes without a vote of the people or Legislature and drive thousands of jobs away from the state.

Oregon is one of the lowest carbon emitting states in the nation, and we’re getting lower. We just enacted ground-breaking new climate policies on transportation and electricity generation, we should give these new laws a chance to work.

Without an exemption for natural gas, hotels and restaurants will pay significantly more money. Along with increases in minimum wage, paid sick leave and possibly paid family leave, the hospitality industry is being crushed under over-burdensome regulations and there is no sign it’s going to end anytime soon.

Please consider emailing members of the Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction and let them know you oppose HB 2020 which will hurt your business and increase prices to customers. Urge them to Vote “No.”

• Senator Michael Dembrow, Co-Chair
• Representative Karin Power, Co-Chair
• Senator Cliff Bentz, Co-Vice Chair
• Representative David Brock Smith, Co-Vice Chair
• Senator Lee Beyer, Member
• Senator Fred Girod, Member
• Senator Jeff Golden, Member
• Senator Alan Olsen, Member
• Senator Kathleen Taylor, Member
• Representative Daniel Bonham, Member
• Representative Shelly Boshart Davis, Member 
• Representative Ken Helm, Member
• Representative John Lively, Member
• Representative Pam Marsh, Member

To submit testimony to Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction:

• jccr.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov

ALERT 2.12.19 - The Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction announced four public hearing dates for House Bill 2020 - tell your lawmakers that we can’t afford cap and trade.

ORLA encourages restaurants and hotels to testify at the hearings about how this would impact their operations. More information about the proposal as well as talking points are available upon request. If you are interested in providing testimony, contact Greg Astley, ORLA Director of Government Affairs, at 503.851.1330.

The joint committee will host public hearings where Oregonians will be able to voice their opinions and ask questions about the bill. Additionally, there will be a public hearing on February 25 where the Salem-based committee will accept live, remote testimony from around the state. 

Reasons to Oppose House Bill 2020: Cap and Trade:

• Restaurant owners would pay more for food products—especially homegrown Oregon products, natural gas and propane.
• NW Natural gas estimates that the average small commercial price would go up as much as 60% if cap and trade passes. Download the NW Natural flyer on the Cap & Trade program

The five dates and locations are listed below: 

• Springfield: Friday, February 22 – Springfield City Hall, Council Chamber (12-3 pm) 
• Medford: Saturday, February 23 – Central Medford High School Auditorium 815 South Oakdale Avenue Medford, OR (9 am-12 pm) 
• Remote: Monday, February 25 – Remote testimony (live video feed from various rural locations), Oregon State Capitol (TBD) 
• The Dalles: Friday, March 1 – The Dalles Civic Auditorium, Community Room (12-3 pm) 
• Bend: Saturday, March 2 – Central Oregon Community College, Cascade Hall, Room 246-248 (9 am-12 pm) 

These feedback opportunities are in addition to two public hearings on February 15 and 18 in Salem before the committee.

​Protecting Our Industry

• Protecting Dedicated Local Lodging Tax Funds for Tourism Promotion and Facilities
  Since lodging tax reforms in 2003, Oregon has seen the power of tourism and its positive economic impact for the people of our state. Tourism continues to produce results for us as an export economy. According to a report by Longwoods International, every dollar we invest outside of Oregon in tourism promotion results in $237 in visitor spending and $11 in local and state tax revenue. Our achievements in tourism must be nurtured and continued strategic promotions will be necessary to encourage domestic and international travelers to choose our great state for their next professional or personal experience.

• ​The Details Behind Paid Family Leave
  The number one labor policy priority for Democrats in control of the Legislature will be passing paid family leave legislation in Oregon which already exists in both California and Washington. Paid family leave will require a great deal of attention to detail as Oregon’s structure for creating a viable system will differ from that of our neighbors. ORLA believes in the concept of paid family leave and would like to work with legislative leadership to find a way to set up an employee paid system providing financial security for both planned and unexpected immediate family circumstances which require time away from work.

• Statewide Approach to Single-Use Disposables
  ORLA is a staunch proponent of laws which treat all Oregonians equally. We commonly refer to this work as establishing preemptions in an effort to create consistency in business. The City of Portland has passed an ordinance for on-demand plastic straws and single-use plastics (SUDs) like utensils for to-go orders. For Portlanders and ORLA members in the marketplace, this is good news compared to outright bans on these products. Given interest amongst legislators, ORLA will discuss options for creating a permanent model for plastic use at the statewide level to avoid the inconsistent policies that will otherwise pass at local levels of government across the state. 

• Protecting Oregonians from “Home Commercial Kitchens”
  A new law passed in California allows for the limited sale of food products to the public using home kitchens. ORLA will fight against these pursuits as a matter of health and safety for the general public. Stringent health and safety regulations are in place for a reason and maintaining these commitments for all food sales to the public will be a top priority.

• Short-Term Rental Safety and Code Compliance
  ORLA continues the important work of reining in illegal hotels which continue to host guests without complying with safety regulations applying to the rest of the hospitality industry. Online Travel Agencies (or OTAs) should require all hosts on their website to prove safety compliance with the designated local jurisdiction and also prove appropriate home insurance coverage for accommodating out of town guests in exchange for money.
  
  > Read ORLA's position statement on Reining-In "Illegal Hotels"

• Opposing a .05 Blood Alcohol Content Threshold
  The 2019 Oregon Legislature is contemplating the creation of a stricter standard for automatic “driving under the influence of intoxicants” (DUII) citations by lowering the current automatic citation standard of .08 blood alcohol content (BAC) to .05. ORLA opposes such a proposal for reasons including: The biggest growth in impaired drivers by far is marijuana users; the .05 proposal does nothing to make Oregon's streets safer; Traffic safety statistics do not support the NTSB’s .05 BAC argument. The current system is working. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is successfully implementing several strategies and programs aimed at decreasing drunk-driving fatalities on our nation’s roadways by 51 percent since 1982. In addition, drunk-driving fatalities involving persons under 21 have decreased 80 percent.
  ​
  > Read ORLA's position statement on the BAC Threshold

During this session ORLA will be tracking several bills and engaging on those particularly to the hospitality industry. Members are encouraged to stay informed and engaged on the issues by subscribing to ORLA communications. If you have any questions, contact Greg Astley, Director of Government Affairs, at Astley@OregonRLA.org.

ORLA Engaged in Local and Statewide Measures and Races

A week after the election, there are still some races across the nation undecided or in the middle of a recount to determine winners. Here in Oregon though, the ballots are counted, and the results are definitive.

Governor Kate Brown (D) beat her opponent, State Representative and physician Knute Beuhler (R), giving her the opportunity to serve four more years in the office. With final numbers still to be reported, according to the Oregon Secretary of State’s website, the two raised and spent a record $36 million in this race.

Democrats in Oregon won big victories and now officially have a supermajority in both the House and the Senate for the first time since 2009. ORLA believes the best policy occurs when there is more parity in the two chambers which can result in more compromise between legislators. The 2019 Legislative Session could see more partisanship or less depending on how Democrats choose to leverage their position in the House, Senate, and Governor’s office.

ORLA’s upcoming legislative priorities will be discussed and approved at our combined Public Policy Committee meeting on December 11th here at the ORLA offices in Wilsonville. Members can RSVP to join us from 1:30-3:00 p.m. by emailing Glenda Hamstreet at GHamstreet@oregonrla.org.

ORLA took a position on four of the five statewide ballot measures in this election cycle. We supported Measures 102 (Affordable Housing), 103 (Keep Our Groceries Tax Free) and 104 (Requirements for Raising Taxes) with only Measure 102 passing. In addition, we were opposed to Measure 105 (Repeal State Sanctuary Law) which was defeated.  

In local ballot measures, ORLA was opposed to Portland’s Measure 26-201 (Gross Receipts Tax) which passed.  We were also opposed to a local sales tax on meals in Jacksonville which was soundly defeated 65%-35%.

In another local race, Bambuza owner Daniel Nguyen, won a seat on the Lake Oswego City Council and will begin serving January 1, 2019.

The team at ORLA very much appreciates all of our members who contributed to the ORLA Political Action Committee (ORLAPAC) and allowed us to participate in a meaningful way in these important races. Your support and contributions will be needed even more in the future as we look ahead already to the 2020 election cycle.

Oregon has a strong track record of enhancing tourism and creating thousands of jobs that trigger local economic growth while making Oregon a top travel destination. That is why we are supporting Measure 104 – it will ensure tax fairness for businesses and consumers.

Join the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association and protect the entrepreneurial spirit that brings award-winning plates from chefs who use Oregon’s farm fresh Marionberries and hazelnuts, salmon and crab and thousands of handcrafted beers and wines.

Unfortunately, this entrepreneurial spirit is under attack.

New taxes on beer, coffee, food, and soda have become common amongst politicians in Salem, as they search for new revenue, despite record spending levels.

How are politicians gaming the system and getting around the law?
Over 20 years ago Oregon voters passed a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority vote on all revenue-raising legislation. But now, thanks to a creative loophole found by politicians and their lawyers, politicians have changed the rules to avoid the supermajority vote designed to protect taxpayers from increased taxes on food and beverages.

This year, politicians used this trick to steal $1 billion from small businesses on a simple-majority vote, eliminating lower tax rates for hardworking, family-owned businesses throughout Oregon. That isn’t right and it needs to be stopped.

A "Yes" vote on Measure 104:

• Protects families, farmers, and small businesses.
• Will close the loophole and put an end to these legislative tricks hurting consumers and businesses.

Supporting Measure 104 will help prevent partisan gamesmanship and ensure tax fairness for Oregonians. Join us in protecting the Oregon way and the entrepreneurial spirit that makes Oregon a great place to live, visit, work and play.

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association encourages a "Yes” vote on Measure 104.

Here's how you can help:

• Put up a yard sign
• Display a 4x8 field sign
• Write a Letter to the Editor
• 'Like' us on Facebook
• Share our Facebook posts
• Endorse Measure 104

For more information on volunteering for the campaign download the Volunteer Info flyer.
Contact the campaign: Yes@Yeson104.com | 503.974.8860 | www.yeson104.com
​

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) supports Measure 103 because it protects low-income Oregonians and small businesses, including restaurants, from new taxes on the sale or distribution of food and beverages, regardless of where such items are purchased.

Measure 103 specifically defines “groceries” as “any raw or processed food or beverage intended for human consumption except alcoholic beverages, marijuana products, and tobacco products.” This broad definition includes food and beverages purchased from restaurants.

Taxes on food would have a disproportionate effect on Oregonians who can least afford it, including low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes. While many states other than Oregon have sales taxes, many exempt food and beverages from those taxes for this very reason. Measure 103 protects all Oregonians from regressive and harmful taxes imposed by state and local governments on the sale of food and beverages.

Oregon currently does not have any statewide sales tax but many local governments tax certain items. Measure 103 would ensure that if new state or local sales taxes are passed in Oregon, those taxes will not apply to the sale of food and beverages. Measure 103 protects customers and businesses from the negative affects new taxes on food and beverages would have.

A meal at a restaurant or from take-out is a regular and increasing part of many Oregonians’ busy schedules. ORLA supports Measure 103 because it will ensure that such meals remain as affordable as possible without unnecessary and burdensome taxation.

Join us in voting Yes on Measure 103.

Hospitality workers make our thriving tourism industry possible. For every dollar we invest in tourism promotion, $237 comes back to Oregon in visitor spending—in addition to $11 in local/state tax revenues for important community priorities—according to third party research by Longwoods International. However, restaurant and lodging employees from Ashland to Portland, Coos Bay to Bend, are finding it more difficult to find housing close to their place of work. 
 
Due to rising housing costs, these hard-working Oregonians are finding it more difficult to secure housing options that meet their needs. The result is long distance and congestion-filled commutes that mean less time spent with families and more money spent on transportation. Hard-working Oregonians should be able to afford to live near their job, but a lack of affordable housing options across the state is making that more difficult.
 
Across Oregon, there is an opportunity to lift the ban to public-private housing development partnerships that assist in solving the challenges we face. Support for Measure 102 will give local governments the opportunity to create comprehensive workforce housing proposals and present them for consideration to local voters. We believe communities deserve the right to vote on housing proposals that, if planned appropriately, can stimulate local economic growth while adding to the quality of life for hospitality workers and their families.
 
Measure 102 is an important, bipartisan measure that will give communities across Oregon greater flexibility to create the housing they need. By allowing local governments to partner with non-profit and private housing providers, any bond dollars they raise specifically for affordable housing will be able to go further, creating more affordable homes. This measure is a small tweak that will have a big impact in the lives of Oregonians.

​Please join us in voting Yes for Measure 102.

​Measure 105 would repeal the state law, Oregon Revised Statute 181A.820, which forbids state agencies, including law enforcement, from using state resources or personnel to detect or apprehend persons whose only violation of the law is that of federal immigration law. 

Measure 105 would allow any law enforcement agency to use agency funds, equipment, and personnel to detect and apprehend people whose only violation of the law is a violation of federal immigration law.

ORLA's position, which has been in place for several years and which the ORLA Policy Committee reconfirmed at their meeting on September 10, 2018, is that Immigration is a national issue and ORLA supports the viewpoint that reform should be addressed at the federal level, not in a piecemeal approach by individual states. 

Comprehensive immigration reform must include all aspects of immigration issues—border security, worker supply and employee verification—which means that Congress is the only political body which can actually solve the immigration problem. State and local governments only make a solution more complex by trying to pass their own laws. ORLA is opposed to random, individual pieces of immigration reform and supports Congress working together on a national level to enact comprehensive reform. 

For this reason, ORLA says No to Measure 105.  

The public is invited to join Andrea Valderrama, Carmen Rubio, Latino Network, Forward Together and PCUN to Support Oregonians United Against Profiling at an even in Portland next month:

Oregonians United Against Profiling Happy Hour
White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th Ave Portland OR 97214
October 10th, 4:30-6:30 pm
RSVP and donate here