It appears to me that the Marine Trades Association in Port Townsend is trying to secure a stranglehold on the Port of Port Townsend.
The Marine Trades Association produced a Marine Trades Economic Impact Study last year.
For instance, did you know that the marine trades create over 2,200 other jobs?
I wondered how that could be.
Apparently when you attribute all the tourist, grocery, Coast Guard and other jobs to the maritime industry it adds up.
Let’s be clear, all the “attributed” jobs would still exist without the marine trades.
This county is older with a lot of retirees.
It has a very robust arts community including Centrum, Port Townsend School of the Arts and Northwind Arts Center.
It has the Port Townsend Paper Company and Jefferson Healthcare. And it has tourism.
As the sign into Port Townsend says, “A Victorian Seaport and Arts Community.”
Jefferson County has farming and aquaculture.
When you only consider the 405 true direct jobs, the positive county tax impact is minimal.
Nowhere does the report discuss sea level change or the enormous costs the Port must bear to maintain the marine trades.
The Port currently has millions in deferred maintenance, according to its own estimates. The marine trades study is so absurd as to be laughable.
The Port is mandated to provide economic development to the entire county.
Subsidizing the marine trades does not fulfill that mandate.
Pouring the Port’s proposed Prop 1 levy of $15 million into breakwaters that will be underwater due to sea level rise is not economic development.
But putting existing tax dollars into wastewater treatment in Districts 2 and 3 can lead to real economic development. Or let’s help our farmers.
The Port must begin to diversify its asset portfolio now.
Help stop the insanity: Vote against Proposition 1 and for Chuck Fauls for the port commission.
His Port experience will lead us to a self-sustaining port and family wage job generation throughout the county.
Melinda Bryden,
Port Townsend