PORT ANGELES — Port commissioners voted Monday not to collect any additional property taxes in the coming year.
John Calhoun, commission president, suggested that the Port of Port Angeles not levy any more than last year, even though it legally could raise the amount collected by 1 percent.
He said the move makes the port a leader in trying to alleviate stress on taxpayers during tough economic times.
A motion made by Calhoun to have staff amend a levy resolution for the commissioners’ Nov. 24 meeting was passed unanimously by the three commissioners.
Calhoun also moved to hold the line on “a broad range of fees” — which he said he would leave up to Executive Director Bob McChesney to determine which ones specifically — and not to give full cost-of-living salary increases to staff.
That motion also passed unanimously.
Cost of living raises
Instead of a 4.9 percent cost of living increase as included in the preliminary budget, Calhoun moved to include a 2.8 increase — which is equal to last year’s cost-of-living increase.
“I propose these rather modest reductions in property taxes, fees and salary increases because it is the right thing to do in these times,” Calhoun said.
“Counties and cities are faced with laying off workers, reducing workweek hours or requiring 10 day unpaid furloughs.
“The private sector is faring much worse.
“They can’t afford to offer their employees an automatic pay increase of 4.9 percent nor can they automatically increase the price of their products or services.”
Small step for taxpayers
Because of the dire state of the economy Calhoun said the port should be a leader for other taxing districts by making a small step to alleviate stress on taxpayers.
“How can the port justify automatic increases in taxes, fees and salaries during these extraordinary times?” he said.
Both Commissioners George Schoenfeldt and Jim McEntire said they fully supported Calhoun’s motion.
“I have been talking about this for 10 years, and this is the first time in my memory that any public district’s employees didn’t get an automatic cost-of-living pay raise,” Schoenfeldt said.
Port Finance Director Bill James and McChesney will work out the financial implications to the budget by the Nov. 24 meeting when another hearing on the 2009 fiscal document is expected to be held.
It was unclear on Monday how much not increasing some fees would cost the port.
Limiting employee salary increases will save the port between $36,946 and $56,392.
Not collecting any more taxes than last year will cost the port $40,906.
Log-loading shovel
In other business, the commissioners unanimously voted Monday to purchase the log-loading shovel which they have been leasing for about three months.
The lease is for $5,950 per month and could be extended for the entire useful life of the equipment, James said.
Cascade Trader, the company which owns the shovel, agreed to allow 90 percent of the rent for the first six months to go toward the purchase price.
So purchasing the shovel after three months will mean the total cost of the shovel would be $163,435.
Waiting three more months would bring the total price to $165,220.
Leasing it for 20 years — the likely life of the equipment — would total $403,529 under the current lease which includes reduced rent as time goes on.
“It is staff’s determination that it is better to buy it now,” James said.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
