Ponderay to host LOT open house events
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 11 months, 1 week AGO
PONDERAY — The city of Ponderay will hold several open house events in the coming weeks to discuss its proposed local option tax.
"We strongly encourage anyone to join us at one of these events to become accurately informed about the local option tax on Nov. 4, 2025, ballot," city officials said.
Ponderay is pursuing a 1% local option sales tax that would be in effect for the next 10 years to fund a variety of city projects. Projects include continued development of lakeshore access, a railroad underpass, and the Field of Dreams. Additionally, $500,000 would be used to maintain and improve streets and cover administrative costs.
In addition to supporting continued construction of the Field of Dreams, local option tax revenue would go toward an endowment fund for ongoing maintenance of the facility. The city would designate $1 million to the fund and allow interest to accrue until it reaches $2 million, city officials said.
The November measure would replace a previous local option tax that expired in 2024. That tax generated $15.6 million over its five-year duration.
This is the city’s second attempt to pass a local option tax to fund city projects. A similar measure was narrowly defeated in November 2024, with 49.62 percent voting in favor and 50.28 percent against. The measure requires a 60 percent majority to pass.
Sales exceeding $999 would be exempt from the proposed tax as would lodging as Ponderay residents approved a separate measure on that issue in May.
The first open house events are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 28. Mayor Steve Geiger will be at Mount Baldy Senior Apartments on Orchid Loop from 4 to 5 p.m., followed by a session at Schralpenhaus Apartments, 564 N. Triangle Drive, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
On Monday, Nov. 3, Geiger, the Ponderay City Council and city staff will host an open house at City Hall, 288 Fourth St. At the event, officials and staff will gather feedback on the proposed local option tax and answer questions about the measure. Light refreshments will be served.
The Nov. 3 event will run from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., followed by the regularly scheduled council meeting at 5:30 p.m.
For more information on the proposed local option tax, visit the Ponderay website at bit.ly/3L8oDuH. For questions, contact Ponderay City Hall at 208-265-5468.