PORT TOWNSEND – Jefferson County, Port Townsend and Port officials are not running to increase next year’s property taxes by the now-allowed 6 percent in the wake of Thursday’s Supreme Court decision overturning I-747.
“For the port, it’s not going to have any effect whatsoever for 2008,” said Larry Crockett, Port of Port Townsend executive director.
The port commissioners adopted its 2008 budget on Wednesday with a 1 percent increase, plus new construction.
Crockett said that when the port commissioners meet to discuss the 2009 budget beginning in mid-summer 2008, increasing property taxes by more than 1 percent will likely be discussed.
But a lot can happen between now and then, he said.
“I imagine old Mr. Eyman will come up with something else,” Crockett said.
Conservative political activist Tim Eyman had spearheaded the successful I-747 campaign in 2001.
Prior to I-747’s passage, Referendum 47 was in place and imposed a 6 percent per year cap on property taxes.
The Supreme Court’s decision will not go into effect for at least 20 days, which would be after many taxing districts set their 2008 levies.
