To the Editor:
The Port wants to enlarge its taxing district to include almost all of Snohomish County growing revenue seven-plus times. The
timeline to inform voters has been deceptively short.
Promotion of the August 6 ballot measure has been dishonest and misleading. This is a “stealth taxing district.”
It is trying to dazzle voters with promises of: economic development, environmental cleanup, transportation improvements, and access to grants. We don’t need the Port to accomplish any of these projects. This has been, and still is, the job of our city government.
And to suggest that the Port, a public entity, could facilitate a dreamy wish list like: public works, another park, a paddleboat/wedding venue, or another hotel, is to instigate unwanted and uninvited local competition and cause friction within city and county government and the private business community.
The whole concept of the Port is meddlesome, unnecessary and redundant.
This port district will saddle taxpayers forever, with bond obligations that may never benefit our specific city. And all renters and middle-class homeowners will be impacted, forever. Priority issues being handled by our city, like schools, will suffer a lack of support due to financial fatigue, forever.
If approved, the maximum rate allowed could be 45 cents per $1,000 AV, or a $450 dollar per year increase for a $1 million dollar home. And that 45-cent rate cap could be exceeded when the levy is for bond indebtedness for big transportation projects like airport expansions.
Vote “NO” on Port of Everett Expansion Prop 1.
Beth Jarvis
Snohomish
