PORT TOWNSEND — Port Townsend voters will be asked to approve a 0.3 percent sales and use tax increase this fall to raise revenue specifically for the city’s streets.
At a meeting of the city’s newly formed Transportation Benefits District on Tuesday morning, the board — which consists of the same members as the Port Townsend City Council — voted unanimously to place the measure on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.
City staff have estimated the 0.3 percent tax will generate approximately $800,000 annually over 10 years. Documents from the July 26 council meeting where the meeting was formed say the city has roughly $980,000 in annual street costs.
“It always seems cheap to defer maintenance. We’ve waited too long and we’re having to do re-ballasting,” said Libby Urner-Wennstrom, council member and Transportation Benefits District member.
“Yes, $800,000 isn’t going to be enough to turn the ship around, but I would say that having some course correction is better than having no course correction,” she added.
At present, the sales tax in Port Townsend is 9.1 percent. It consists of a 6.5 percent state sales tax and 2.6 percent Jefferson County sales tax, with no city tax or special tax.
Council member Monica MickHager was not present at the meeting and did not vote but had previously expressed her support for the ballot measure.
If the vote fails, the transportation district can still enact a 0.1 percent tax without voter approval. That would provide the city with $270,000 annually. There are other revenue options available to the district, including vehicle registration fees; bonds; impact fees and property taxes, but those options were not recommended by city staff at Tuesday’s meeting.
If the ballot measure is approved, money from the tax would be available to the city beginning in May 2024, according to Connie Anderson, director of Finance and Technology Services.
Two people gave in-person comments Tuesday — one in favor of the tax and one opposed — and a letter supporting the tax was submitted to the meeting.
Port Townsend resident Steven Schumacher said the city’s streets should have been fixed a long time ago and criticized the city for past spending decisions.
“The real question for me is, would this be part of an overall austerity perspective or would it be enabling?” Schumacher said.
Board members also unanimously approved three other resolutions at the meeting.
One establishes an interlocal agreement with the City of Port Townsend to allow city staff to work on behalf of the transportation district.
Another establishes a material change policy for the district to ensure that all policy changes are put through a public process.
A third creates pro and con committees for the proposed ballot measure. They will draft statements that will appear on the November ballot.
Port Townsend residents Rebecca Kimball, Scott Walker and Rick Jahnke, who had previously volunteered to draft pro statements, were appointed to the pro committee. Jahnke gave public comment in favor of the ballot measure at the meeting.
Public Works Director Steve King said volunteers for the con committee could not be found, and that the responsibility would fall to the Jefferson County auditor.
In an email, Jefferson County Election Coordinator Quinn Grewell said the auditor’s office will seek out and appoint up to three members of a committee opposed to the measure.
The auditor’s office will advertise the appointment by website, Facebook and a press release, Grewell said. Potential members must be registered voters of Jefferson County, have email addresses, demonstrate the ability to communicate rapidly by email and agree to work collaboratively with co-committee members.
Those interested in participating should contact Auditor Brenda Huntingford at 360-385-9385 as soon as possible, officials said.
Statements must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8.
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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at peter.segall@peninsuladailynews.com.
