CAMANO ISLAND — One major issue divides the candidates for the Island County Board of Commissioners District 3 seat, which represents Camano and north Whidbey islands.
Democratic incumbent John Dean believes essential services provided by Island County to protect the health and safety of its residents will be harmed if voters don’t approve the county’s Proposition 1.
The primary election ballot measure seeks to lift the current lid on the Island County property tax rate, increasing the rate by about 3 percent in 2011 to no more than 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That’s about $40 a year for people who own a $250,000 piece of property.
Newcomer Kelly Emerson, 45, a Republican with Tea Party ties, believes the county commissioners haven’t done enough to cut the county budget before asking voters to raise their taxes.
“I don’t think we need to look that direction for a source of revenue, especially in the current economic climate,” Emerson said. “I am not an insider, but I see more than a few ways to make more cuts.”
Emerson’s example is a possible $740,000 in cuts to health benefits for Island County employees.
“I hope to see (Prop. 1) go down,” Emerson said. “That’s more important than me getting elected right now.”
Dean, 61, has served on the board of commissioners for the past three years.
“In terms of my re-election campaign, putting Proposition 1 on the ballot now is probably bad timing,” Dean said. “But Proposition 1 is more important than politics. Island County is in really bad shape financially. We didn’t want to make any more cuts without asking the voters first.”
Island County used to exist on sales tax revenue and interest income from investments to fund its basic services. When the economy tanked, those revenues stopped adequately funding those services, county budget director Elaine Marlow has said.
Since 2008, county officials cut 60 jobs as well as other expenses, for a $4.2 million budget reduction.
Expected revenues in the next few years won’t support even the current diminished level of services, Marlow said. County officials estimate that by 2015, the county will exhaust its cash reserves.
If it passes, Proposition 1 could mean an additional $2 million for county coffers.
Of the property tax money paid by people in Island County, about 7 percent goes to the county’s current expense fund. This fund pays for public health, senior services, law and justice, fiscal and financial accountability and public safety, among others.
“If (Proposition 1) goes down, we might have to close the Camano (county government) annex. The county sheriff estimates he will lay off seven to 10 deputies, and this might mean closing a police precinct,” Dean said. “We can’t afford to do that with our population. This is about holding these islands together with limited resources.”
Emerson said she doesn’t believe the recession is as dire as the current board of commissioners claims it to be.
“An economic recession which amplified their lack of fiscal responsibility does not justify the need for excessive (tax) collections,” she wrote in a press release issued last week.
In the online voters guide at www.islandcounty.net, Emerson said she sees the current economic crisis as “an opportunity for us to purge ourselves of failed programs and overburdening regulations and bring back a government that works for us!”
Dean said the election is about saving government. “I don’t think people understand how low-staffed our county government is already. If your purpose is to take government down or close government, well I don’t believe most people want that,” Dean said.
The candidates for the District 3 office will meet again in the general election.
Some of the candidates for office in Island County are running unopposed, including those seeking the jobs of prosecutor, sheriff and auditor. The offices of assessor, treasurer and coroner each have two candidates.
Only the primary ballot race for county clerk will eliminate one of the candidates.
Patricia Terry, a Democrat, was appointed in 2009 to the fill an unexpired term in the clerk’s office. She is opposed by fellow Democrat Debra Van Pelt, who has been a deputy in the clerk’s office for more than five years. Their Republican opponent is Carol Anne Fortune, who has experience as a janitor and administrative assistant.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
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