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The problem with Swinomish taxation lies with the Washington State Department of Revenue. Now that Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned are withdrawn from the tax base, the $154,161,500 assessed valuation, and the $13.0988 levy rate, and the $2,019,333 in taxes (2018 figures) are shifted to the remaining taxpayers. This affects the following taxing districts: the state levy, county roads, county general, conservation, La Conner library, the Port of Anacortes, Medic 1, Fire District 13, and the La Conner school district. It should have been that...
It’s true that there is a “tax problem” on the Swinomish Indian Reservation, but it is much larger than the Great Wolf Lodge tax case that everyone has been hearing or reading about lately. For decades, the Swinomish Tribe has faced at least four separate but related tax problems that went largely unnoticed in the Town of La Conner until the impact of the Great Wolf Lodge decision that invalidated a state tax on the permanent improvements of lessees on federal trust land was felt by property owners of fee lands both here in town and on the r...
The main item of business for the Town Council Dec. 11 was passing the 2019 budget and that happened without comment from residents: no one spoke, and the public hearing closed a minute after it opened. Council then unanimously passed the $5,781,986 budget. It is a budget balanced by the $2,865,130 beginning fund balance carried over from 2018. Revenues are projected to lag expenses by almost one million dollars in 2019. Still, the end of year fund balance is projected at $1,892,531. Funds are allocated to repair Maple Hall’s elevator. C...
In this season of giving, let us be courageous as well as generous in investing in Washington’s future. Governor Jay Inslee’s new budget will be considered by the state legislature in January. It proposes billions of new dollars in spending for educating our kids and our college students, saving orcas from extinction and ourselves from opioid addiction, committing to human services and the behavioral health care system and combating climate change. Paying to bring Washington into a civilized 21st century future depends on new taxes: ena...
Many La Conner School District voters and most of its students live in homes on land that the district does not tax. We were told the so-called Great Wolf Lodge decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in 2013 is why more than 930 homes, mostly in Shelter Bay, were removed from the county tax rolls in 2015. That decision applied to Confederated Tribes of Chehalis Reservation vs. Thurston County. In that case, the tribe is the majority owner of the Great Wolf Lodge buildings that sit on its land. In 2008 Chehalis sued Thurston...
The renewed La Conner ring dike discussion brings longtime Town Council member Jacques Brunisholz back full circle. The retired La Conner High language teacher has often spoken forcefully – and continues to do so – on the need for construction of a dike to fill an open lowland gap on the north and east edges of town. In fact, it’s been a defining issue for Brunisholz, who campaigned on flood control and dike development when he made his first successful run for the Council more than a decade ago. Since then, Brunisholz has been a...
Without discussion, the La Conner School District Board of Directors unanimously approved placing a two-year levy totaling $1,749,210 before its voters at its monthly meeting Monday. The resolution states the funds will “pay part of the cost of educational programs and operations support of the District.” Draft language the Board discussed at its Nov. 5 study session stated monies are for “programs and operations which are not funded or not fully funded by the State:” Later in the meeting, when Channel Drive resident David Buchan asked an unre...
The “flood/dike update,” a recurring item of unfinished business at La Conner Town Council meetings, became the elephant in the room at Council’s Nov. 13 meeting. Council member Jacques Brunisholz repeated his concern that the Town is not protected from a catastrophic flood, that climate change means weather is unpredictable and that he, and the Council, is not meeting its prior agreement for adding $50,000 annually to the flood control fund. “We need to have the Town protected,” he said, “all the rest is for naught. “It was set up years ago...
During her long career with the U.S. Postal Service, Brenda Obertacz placed stamps on a steady stream of envelopes and parcels. She also put her stamp on La Conner, the community she loved and where she served with poise, grace and a sense of professionalism that left its mark with colleagues and local postal patrons alike. Brenda passed away Nov. 4 at her home in Burlington, two days shy of her 64th birthday. Her passing was immediately felt both at work and by the public that had come to rely upon her caring and tireless approach to customer...
Alan and Ben Mesman’s farm offer more than meets the eye. Their families live on two parcels totaling 190 acres stretching from Dodge Valley Road along Chilberg Road to Pleasant Ridge. But that is only half of almost 400 acres of land they own or rent, contiguous, nearby and on the flats of eastern Fidalgo Island. They are milking about 100 cows, a variety of breeds and cross breeds including Holstein, Jersey, Milking Shorthorn and Normande. But that is only half the herd: There are 10 to 15 b...
August 6, 1938 - October 2, 2018 Ron Ellis, a long-time resident of La Conner and the Eagles Nest community, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 80. He had been in declining health and was on his way to a doctor’s appointment when life left him. May his soul rest in peace. Ron was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Denbigh and Ethel Ellis. He resided in the Chicago area suburb of Hinsdale when, at the age of four, the family moved to Southern California, eventually settling in Laguna Beach near Los Angeles. Ron totally loved the beach e...
It was anything but politics as usual during the two- hour candidates forum at Maple Hall Thursday night. Information and not defamation was the prevailing theme. Thirteen of 28 candidates vying to be non-paid County Commission District 1 freeholders charged with crafting a new blueprint for Skagit government should voters approve a November 6 ballot initiative shared their views and helped clarify the multi-step process. It’s a format with which most at the well-attended event weren’t fam...
La Conner farmer Dave Hedlin drives a pickup truck, a tractor, and a variety of farm equipment. The much less visible seat he sits in is as a board member of Northwest Farm Credit Services, a financial cooperative that’s part of the Farm Credit System. Hedlin is one of 11 elected members of the board of directors. For three years, ending in 2017, he was board chair. He finishes his third five-year term in 2021. As a co-op member, he has taken loans with Northwest since 1979, when he and his w...
For over 40 years fishery biologists and other scientists have been working in collaborative efforts to improve salmon fisheries in the Skagit River. Since 2003, the Skagit River System Cooperative, a partnership between the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, has included ten governmental agencies, universities and non-profit organizations in its efforts. A cooperative in name but not in organizational structure, the SRSC started in 1976 with a third Washington treaty tribe, the Upper Skagit. Steve Hinton,...
Dolores and John retired to Shelter Bay in 1992. She loved gardening and boating and she was a great 1st Mate. John and Dolores were charter members of the Shelter Bay Yacht Club. She loved to travel, and Hawaii and Arizona were a few of her favorites from her world travels. Dolores was a member of the Ann Carlson Orthopedic Guild, Seattle Ryther and the Ballard Elks Emblem Club. Dolores is survived by her spouse John, daughter Karen (Malcolm) Unseth, son John F Bratland, grandson Matthew (Christena) Unseth, 2 great-granddaughters, sisters...
I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting and working with Rosemary Kaholokula through our mutual participation in Rotary I initially met Rosemary while searching for a district youth protection officer in my role as the Rotary District 5050 chair of the youth services committee. Our mission was to re-write the youth protection policy and then enforcing it among the 56-plud clubs in the district. This included training on the policy with the sole purpose being to protect all children that our members encounter. Rosemary is the right...
Their lineup has been reshuffled, but the long-term game plan for local Cemetery District Commissioners has not been reshuffled. The three-member panel remains committed to restoration of the historic Pleasant Ridge School building, which the District acquired in 2017, along with adjoining land, in anticipation of expansion needs going forward. The vacant Victorian era structure, much admired for its striking stone foundation, is being eyed as an eventual public meeting and gathering space, ideally suited for memorial receptions following...
Kevin Paul is helping history repeat itself a second time. Nearly 30 years ago, before he became a nationally renowned carver featured on the Discovery Channel, Paul joined family members in creating a replica of the famed Swinomish totem pole unveiled as part of a major Washington State Centennial celebration on the local reservation. These days Paul is serving as lead craftsman and mentor to two of his former La Conner High carving students charged with refurbishing the weathered pole, whose...
Last week Washington State Ferries released its draft long-range plan, outlining strategies for providing reliable, sustainable and resilient ferry service through at least 2040 for the largest ferry system in the United States. The ridership is forecast to grow 30 percent by 2040. Over half the fleet, 13 of 22 ferries will be retired and replaced by then. Plans call for expanding the fleet to 26 vessels. The plan identifies the challenges: “an already overburdened fleet and aging i...
Provided by Skagit County Pioneer Association The position of Historian-Memorialist (Historian for short) on the Board of Skagit County Pioneer Association’s, along with President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, has been a mainstay for the group, which in 2019 will mark 115 years. Dan Royal, at this year’s 114th Annual Pioneer Picnic, was pleased to announce local resident and writer, Bill Reynolds as the Pioneer Association’s new Historian, voted and approved by the Board earlier in t...
Frances “Elaine” Jensen, 90, passed away peacefully on August 24, 2018, with family at her side while at Mira Vista Care Center. Elaine was born at home, at the family farm, on Camano Island to Peter and Johanna (Ledal) Folden, on May 17, 1928. Being a first generation Norwegian American, her birthdate was special. In Norway this date, May 17th, is Norwegian Constitution Day, an official public holiday which began in 1814. She attended school in Stanwood, where after graduating, she met her future husband, Francis “JR” Jensen, at a dance,...
All but 100 ballots have been counted through Aug. 17 in Skagit County for the August primary election. The 1,400 counted ballots did not change any outcomes and neither will the last 100 votes. Final counts and certification were completed Aug. 21. Democratic contender Scott McMullen bested incumbent Representative Norma Smith (R) for the 10th legislature district house seat 1. He is up by 548 votes, at 50.64 percent. Likewise, challenger Dave Paul won over Dave Hayes, Republican representative of 10th legislature district house seat 2....
Now you can be a freeholder. Or at least, you can run for the elected office of freeholder and gain the thanks and gratitude of you fellow Skagitonians. Applications are open August 27-32 at the county auditor’s office. But wait: What is going on? The guest editorial across the page and the front page story report that Home Rule Skagit, a non-partisan, volunteer group has successfully petitioned to place a resolution on this fall’s ballot to update the county’s structure of governance. Their column presents their position for bringing Skagi...
First and second place finishers in contested Aug. 7 primary elections in the La Conner vote shed were Maria Cantwell and Susan Hutchison, U.S. Senate; Rick Larsen in the Second Congressional District with 57 votes separating Brian Luke from Gary Franco for a distant second place; Jackie Brunson, Bradley Whaley, country treasurer; and Tom Seguine, Cecily Hazelrigg-Hernandez, state court of appeals, division 1, district 3. Uncle Mover finished second in Skagit County for the Second Congressional District, but fourth overall for the seat...
A teacher who works down from the hall from me in the La Conner school district recently said, “Honestly, I am invested, and I love what I do, but I am run down and exhausted. There aren’t enough hours in the day. I don’t know if I can continue teaching at La Conner, when I can go 15 miles to another school district and make at least five figures more than I am making now. (My colleague would make $12,000 more a year teaching in Stanwood.) I buy so many supplies for my students out of my own pocket. It simply isn’t fair to my own family....
