Clallam commissioners nearer to placing real estate excise tax on ballot

2005-08-09
by JIM CASEY
Peninsula Daily News

Clallam County commissioners will vote Aug. 23 whether to place a real estate buyers excise tax on the Nov. 8 ballot to raise funds for farmland protection.

Realtors from Sequim and Port Angeles said they will propose an alternative course to the same end.

Commissioners said Monday they probably will propose a half-percent excise tax to be paid by buyers of real property.

They will include a ``sunset'' provision to end the tax after 10 years unless voters renew it.

Commissioners met in a work session Monday with members of Clallam Citizens for Food Security, which said it has gathered signatures of about 4,000 people requesting the ballot measure.

The group wants to levy a full 1 percent tax, the maximum allowed by law.

But Commissioner Steve Tharinger, D-Dungeness, argued for seeking half that amount, which still would raise an estimated $2.7 million a year to buy perpetual conservation easements on farmland.

Tim Morgan, a member of the citizens group, said that since most voters will not feel it, they would support a 1 percent tax.

However, Commissioner Mike Doherty, D-Port Angeles, said many Clallam County residents are ``buying up'' in the real estate market or, as they age, buying down. They will pay the excise tax if voters approve it.