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Voters to give approval first, their money later

“I’m not asking for money, I’m asking for endorsement,” said Terrie LaPorte, chair of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce pier committee. LaPorte is urging voters to approve the creation of a junior taxing district on the November ballot that is intended to collect maintenance funds for a pier, but only if one gets built.

“The Port of Bellingham assures me that if this is what Point Roberts wants, they will help find construction dollars,” Laporte said. Preliminary studies on the feasibility and environmental impacts of a pier proposed at the foot of Gulf Road have all been funded by grant dollars and LaPorte said there is grant funding available to build the pier. However, the Port of Bellingham, which will ultimately own the pier, is not willing to move forward with permitting until a vehicle for maintenance funding is in place.

That vehicle has the rather confusing title of Point Roberts Park and Recreation Service Area. LaPorte explained that has nothing to do with the local parks department, which also has their operations and maintenance levy on the ballot, but would be an independent taxing authority specifically for financing neighborhood park facilities, improvements, or services. “This is the only way to set it up, so it’s up to me to explain it,” Laporte said.

If voters approve the new service area and the funding to permit and build the pier is obtained, the new taxing district can be used to collect the $45,000 per year estimated cost of maintaining it once it’s built. LaPorte said preliminary estimates are for a levy of 15 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, or $15 a year on a $100,000 home. “For that you can take your grandchild by the hand, stroll out to sea and watch the sunset and the orcas, and you’ll be on public property,” Laporte said. “For the price of two pizzas.”

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