PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners are considering implementing a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax, likely through voter approval, that would be used to fund access to cultural programs.
The goal of the tax would be to provide sustainability for local cultural organizations, increase access to cultural experiences for both youth and the public and provide school transportation funding, commissioner Mike French said.
If passed, the tax would raise the total sales tax to 9 percent in Sequim, 8.9 percent in Port Angeles and 8.7 percent in Forks and the county’s other unincorporated areas.
The cultural access tax could be implemented two ways. One is via a majority vote from the commissioners, without voter approval. In that case, the tax would be in effect for seven years, after which it could be sunset or reauthorized.
Alternatively, the commissioners could place a resolution on a ballot asking voters to approve the tax.
Commissioners Randy Johnson and Mark Ozias said the tax should be passed by the voters, rather than the commissioners.
“If we really believe in this, I believe this absolutely has to go out to the people for a vote,” Johnson said.
The commissioners said they would help advocate for the tax if it does go to a vote.
David Herbelin, executive director of Olympic Theatre Arts, said organizations who would benefit from the tax don’t have the money to support a public campaign for voter approval.
If it gets implemented, French said the tax could provide sustainable funding to transition those organizations away from reliance on private donors and lodging tax funding.
“I think there’s clearly a need for sustainability,” he said.
Nonprofits rely on two things for survival, Herbelin said: volunteers and donors.
“If either of those streams dry up, the organization is gone,” he added.
A reliance on philanthropy can be risky for nonprofits, French said, because it can create a situation where those organizations begin to spend their time chasing public dollars. Additionally, private donations don’t have a democratic component that allows the public to choose which programs they want to fund.
He said a reliance on lodging tax funding also can be risky in that it may shift the program’s focus away from local residents and toward tourism.
If the tax is approved, French said the program could create a system that offers grants to cultural organizations, similar to the lodging tax grant system.
“This lets LTAX [lodging tax] focus on what I think LTAX should focus on, rather than letting it be everything for everyone,” French said.
Herbelin said a survey of eight local cultural, arts and heritage organizations indicated they could use cultural access funding to offer more free and reduced admission, reach distance-challenged communities, contract experienced professionals, increase accessibility for those with physical disabilities and more.
“Already these organizations are doing a ton for our communities, and they want to do more and increase their reach,” Herbelin said.
The funding also could be used to offset the costs of school transportation for these cultural experiences. Inspire Olympia, a comparable program in Olympia, mandates that 10 percent of its cultural access tax funds goes to youth transportation, French said.
Having a portion of those funds dedicated for school transportation makes sense, French said, given that schools’ transportation budgets don’t cover the cost of getting children to school, let alone additional field trips.
The commissioners may revisit the idea in November or December and decide on next steps, he added.
If the tax is approved, French said the county likely would create a volunteer community advisory board to develop program policies.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
