For fair local taxes

Beginning in 2015 county taxes in the La Conner area increased by an average of $300.00 per tax parcel. This was caused by a tax shift generated by the Great Wolf decision. Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned, part of levy code 1580, were exempted from the tax rolls and their taxes were shifted to other levy codes in the La Conner School District. This was done by the County Assessor, without a vote of the people.

The court gave taxing authority over Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned to the Swinomish Tribal Community. In 2020 the Tribe levied $2,120,723 in taxes from these two areas. Of that amount the Tribe contributed $974,072 to four taxing districts. These are the La Conner School District, Fire District 13, the La Conner Regional Library and Medic 1. The Tribe does not contribute to the other six taxing districts: State Levy Part I, State Levy Part II, County Roads, County General, Conservation and the Port of Anacortes. These districts did not negotiate with the Tribe.

We are now at that time of year when taxing districts are making up their levy requests to the County Assessor. We should insist that the four taxing districts cited above deduct the amount they receive from the Tribe from their levy request. Otherwise, they are double dipping, getting a stipend from the Tribe, as well as getting the shifted taxes.

We should also work with Rep. Dave Paul, or whoever wins the election, to write legislation that would reverse the tax shift, i.e., make it illegal to shift the taxes. We need to restore the taxpayers to where they were before the Great Wolf decision.

Sincerely,

Dan O’Donnell

La Conner