Commission split on levy lift proposal

Wahkiakum County commissioners are split over a proposal to increase the county's tax levy to help fund five community endeavors.

After debating the issue Tuesday, they agreed to research several issues and discuss it again soon.

Commissioner Mike Backman is championing the effort, called a levy lift, to help the organizations who are struggling to find sufficient revenues for their programs.

Backman's proposal would increase the levy by 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Beneficiaries would include:

--Cathlamet library and community center, $20,000 for the library and $10,000 for the center; 7.5 cents per $1,000 assessed property value;

--Cathlamet's municipal swimming pool; $30,000; 7.5 cents per $1,000 assessed property value;

--Johnson Park/ Grays River Valley Center; $30,000; 7.5 cents per $1,000 assessed property value;

--Wahkiakum County Fair; $30,000; 7.5 cents per $1,000 assessed property value, and

--WSU/Wahkiakum County Extension, $20,000, 5 cents per $1,000.

Backman is married to Extension Agent Carrie Backman and stipulated that none of the money destined to

Extension would go to salaries.

These are programs that people enjoy, Backman said; he would like to give the public the opportunity to vote to fund them.

Puget Island resident Sylvia Costich, Cathlamet's retired clerk/treasurer, was questioned whether or not the county is in the position to raise the levy lid.

She quoted state law that says a county can't raise it's levy lid if it isn't using its whole levy capacity.

Assessor Bill Coons said the county's levy capacity is $4.05, and the county levies total around $2.73.

Backman said he believed he was presenting a proper proposal because he had consulted with the county prosecuting attorney.

"From what we're hearing, there's a lot of confusion," said Commissioner Blair Brady.

Commissioner Dan Cothren opposed the proposal. County tax money should go to mandated services, not unmandated services, he said.

"I've said before, ‘we can't afford non-mandated services,'" he said.

Treasurer Tammy Peterson commented that she doesn't think services like Johnson Park which are already in the budget should benefit from a levy lift.

Backman countered that Johnson Park greatly needs help. Community members are working very hard to support it with fund raising activities.

"There's a lot of questions that have to be answered," Brady said.

The deadline for submitting a ballot measure is August 4, Backman said, so commissioners will have to answer those questions soon.