Year in review 2019: Point Roberts Taxpayers Association

By Mark Robbins

Meeting on the second Wednesday of each month, Point Roberts Taxpayers Association (PRTA) endeavors to create a space, open to all, to discuss community issues. We participate actively on PRCAC and the Border Committee, host special meetings and volunteer for litter collection on Gulf Road under the county’s adopt-a-road program.

In 2019, three topics dominated our discussions.

1) Local sales tax: Washington now collects sales tax on online purchases, with the local portion of the tax going to the shipment destination jurisdiction which, for unincorporated Point Roberts, is Whatcom County. Our parcel businesses and post office receive huge numbers of packages ordered by our Canadian neighbors. Incorporated towns derive significant sales tax revenue on such purchases. PRTA is seeking some arrangement with Whatcom County to earmark a portion to fund local projects requested by PRCAC.

2) Solid waste management: PRTA has long supported universal curbside collection in order to create a stable, viable regulated service and promote a greener Point Roberts. We favor building on the new ordinance to expand recycling, promote waste reduction, and control litter and dumping. PRTA is on record favoring a review of the minimum level of service (MLS). Both the mandatory system and the MLS have been contentious issues within PRTA, as within the broader community.

3) Whatcom County Code 20.72 – Point Roberts Special District: We have provided suggestions for consideration by PRCAC as it works with the county to update and consolidate WWC 20.72 and the Point Roberts character plan.

In 2019, PRTA hosted the sixth annual town hall meeting with U.S. Representative Suzan DelBene; and we also organized a state and local government forum with Washington State Representative Sharon Shewmake and Whatcom County Council at-large member Barry Buchanan.

Another major event was the association’s annual general meeting (AGM) with Tim Ballew II, Lummi Past Chairperson, speaking on “The Importance of Point Roberts to Lumni Nation, Past and Present.”

At the AGM, the membership directed the board to explore other methods of selecting PRCAC members to make representation more democratic and legitimate. This will be a major topic going forward.