Polson resort tax public forum set for Tuesday

City of Polson staff will hold the third of four public informational forums on the upcoming resort tax vote at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

In October the Polson City Commission voted unanimously to put a resort tax to voters and set a special election for Feb. 2.

The forums will include an informational presentation and an opportunity for attendees to submit questions to city staff.

The remaining forums will be held remotely via Zoom (visit tinyurl.com/yxctxk8j for a link). Attendees can also call in on by phone by dialing 253-215-8782 and entering the meeting ID number 977-4621-9088.

If approved, the measure would put in place a 3% tax on select luxury retail items and services for 20 years beginning July 1. It would return 3% of funds collected to vendors with 97% going to the city. Of that 97%, 17% would go toward property tax relief, 80% would go toward city street improvements and 3% would be allocated to administrative costs.

City Manager Ed Meece has been meeting with various community, business and neighborhood groups in an effort to explain how the tax would work and answer questions. Those seeking to schedule a group meeting may contact Meece at citymanager@cityofpolson.com or 406-883-8207.

A Resort Tax Initiative tab was recently added to the home page of the city’s website, cityofpolson.com. It includes links to more information on the forums, a Frequently Asked Questions section and a comprehensive Resort Tax Proposal Presentation.

The final forum is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 19.