PORT ANGELES — Lakeside Industries of Port Angeles, a paving company, spent $1,285 on direct mailers to convince Sequim voters to pass street-repair-related Proposition 1, according to their filing of campaign expenditures with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
The measure would create a Transportation Benefit District that would be funded by a sales tax hike within the Sequim city limit from 8.4 percent to 8.6 percent.
The tax increase would generate an estimated $600,000 for sidewalk and street repairs.
Lakeside Manager George Peabody said Lakeside is “the dominant” paving company in Clallam County.
But Lakeside does not do the sidewalk or underground work common to city projects so the measure would have “very little benefit” to Lakeside if it passes.
The 163 Eclipse Industrial Parkway company probably does less than $100,000 of business with the city of Sequim while doing $3 million to $4 million of work a year, mostly in Jefferson and Mason counties on state highway projects, Peabody said.
The tax increase, “is a good way to raise money to fund projects for the city of Sequim,” he added.
The proceeds cannot be used for anything but enhancing the city’s infrastructure.
“This allows them to build the infrastructure the way they should,” Peabody said.
“It’s important for the city of Sequim to be able to fund development.”
Companies or individuals who spend more than $1,000 on election advertising must register with the PDC under the agency’s independent expenditure ads requirement and indicate support or opposition for the candidate or proposal they are advertising.
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Staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.