PORT TOWNSEND — A few thousand dollars went a long way for supporters of Proposition 1, the countywide sales tax increase voters approved Nov. 2.
The Yes on Proposition 1 Committee spent $2,390, or 26 cents a vote, to persuade voters to pass the measure, 9,218 to 7,165, or 56 percent to 44 percent, committee Treasurer Deborah Pedersen said Monday.
That’s almost 10 times less than the $2.30 per vote, or $22,307, that Democratic Jefferson County Commissioner John Austin spent to defeat Republican challenger Jim Boyer, according to reports filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
Austin won 9,708 votes to 7,085, or 58 percent to 42 percent.
And Boyer spent $21,390, or $3.02 per vote — more than anyone else per vote who ran for office in Clallam or Jefferson counties.
The last PDC filing date for contributions and expenditures is Dec. 10.
Proposition 1 will increase the sales tax countywide by 0.3 percent to 8.7 percent, or by 3 cents on every $10 of nonfood retail purchases.
It goes into effect in April. Jefferson County and the city of Port Townsend will begin getting proceeds in late June.
The pro-Proposition 1 committee’s largest expenditure was $931 for newspaper advertising, followed by $718 for 200 yard signs and $70 to the Port Townsend Senior Association for room rental for a meeting.
“We didn’t spend much on much, but it was an amazing thing,” Pedersen said of the election.
“It was really informal networks, I think, that did it,” she added.
“I’ve been talking to everyone I know about how the message got out. People were talking to their friends and neighbors. My Pilates teacher wrote to everyone who takes Pilates from her.
“It was really all just kind of invisible.”
The pro-Proposition 1 committee had $139 left from the effort that was divided into contributions to the Humane Society of Jefferson County, a Guardian Friends of Jefferson County fund for foster children and Friends of Jefferson County Parks and Recreation for recreation program scholarships, Pedersen said.
County officials contended that the sales tax increase was necessary to help cover a projected shortfall of $1.1 million for the 2011 general fund budget.
Several county department heads contributed to the effort to pass it, including County Administrator Philip Morley, whose $150 donation was the largest single contribution from an individual.
The county Democratic Party donated $500 to pass the measure, while the Republican Central Committee voted unanimously against its approval.
On Oct. 30, Republican Central Committee Chairman Ron Gregory filed a complaint as an individual with the Public Disclosure Commission, alleging that Morley “used his position as a public employee to promote a ballot promotion (Proposition 1).”
Morley has denied the allegation.
Under the state Administrative Code, county officials can present information about a county ballot measure but cannot promote it.
Gregory’s complaint is on hold while the county fulfills his public records request for 8,485 county e-mails that made reference to Proposition 1.
“We are waiting to see what he gets,” PDC spokeswoman Lori Anderson said Monday.
Charges could be filed against Morley under the state Administrative Code and be followed by a hearing before the PDC, she said.
If the commission were to determine Morley violated the code, he could be given a warning, be penalized a maximum $4,200 or have the case referred to the state Attorney General’s Office for potential civil charges.
“We are a long way from that,” Anderson said.
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Senior Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
