PORT OF VANCOUVER COMMISSION SENDS IDD TO PRIMARY BALLOT (5/22/07)

For Immediate Release

VANCOUVER, Wash.-Authorized by a citizens petition to put the Industrial Development District (IDD) levy on the primary election ballot, the Port of Vancouver USA commissioners today voted to send the levy to residents of the Vancouver Port District.

By state law, a port cannot introduce ballot measures without referral from a petition of qualified voters living with in the port district. On February 5, 2007, the commission set the process in motion by activating the IDD levy. Shortly thereafter, a citizens group began a grassroots effort to gather at least 9,126 valid signatures on a petition to put the levy on the ballot.

When the petition was certified with 9,659 valid signatures last week, port commissioners were authorized to put the levy on the ballot for the August 21 primary election. The tax increase affects only the port’s portion of Clark County’s property tax, raising it from roughly 33 cents to 79 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of homes within the Vancouver Port District.

“We fully appreciate that the community, through grassroots efforts to gather signatures on the petition, wants to vote on this tax increase,” said Commission President Arch Miller. “The system worked the way it is supposed to, and now the voters will decide on this levy.”

An IDD levy is a temporary property tax, which sunsets after six years and will raise funds for the port to acquire, develop and improve under-utilized industrial lands including, but not limited to, the Alcoa-Evergreen properties, Columbia Gateway and the Rufener property.

Ports are allowed, by the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 53.36.100), two six-year IDD levies, the first of which does not need voter approval. The Port of Vancouver used its first six year levy in 1958 to purchase land in Fruit Valley. Much of the land was later sold to Frito Lay, which has been a long-time fixture, providing living-wage jobs in Vancouver ever since.

The ballot measure would also develop essential rail facilities that will allow the port to continue to service current businesses, and new rail-dependent development. Including the rail expansion, Columbia Gateway, Alcoa-Evergreen, and the port’s Rufener property, an estimated 6,000 living wage jobs will be added to Vancouver’s economy, and local governments will receive a substantial tax revenue boost. If successful, the levy will raise an estimated $78 million over six years.

Port of Vancouver tenants and customers are currently contributing $82 million a year through leasehold excise taxes to the state, city and county coffers – which helps fund road projects, police, fire protection and schools.

“The money that the port delivers to the community in terms of leasehold excise tax is money that homeowners don’t have to pony up,” said Executive Director Larry Paulson. “Without the port’s contribution, local governments would have to find other sources for that money. This levy is a short term investment that will bring long term returns that far, far outweigh the investment.”

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The Port of Vancouver, USA, created by Clark County taxpayers in 1912, is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast. Its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a dependable labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community.

- POV -