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For Immediate Release
PETITION AUTHORIZES PORT OF VANCOUVER TO
PUT IDD LEVY ON BALLOT
May 14, 2007 -- The Port of Vancouver USA commission
has been authorized by port district voters to place its Industrial
Development District (IDD) levy on the primary election ballot,
according to results of a petition canvass completed today by the
Clark County Auditor’s Office.
A total of 9,659 signatures were deemed valid from 11,321 petition
signatures canvassed by elections personnel.
“We fully appreciate that the community, through their grassroots
efforts to gather signatures on the petition, wants to vote on this
tax,” said Port of Vancouver USA Executive Director Larry
Paulson. “Our Board of Commissioners is now authorized to
place this on the August 21 primary ballot.”
The port’s ballot measure will propose a temporary property
tax increase that will raise funds for the Port of Vancouver USA
to create up to 1,900 maritime and industrial jobs through the purchase
and development of the Alcoa-Evergreen properties. It will also
develop essential rail facilities that will allow the port to continue
to service current businesses, and new rail-dependent development.
Port district voters will have the opportunity to decide whether
to approve this additional property tax, which will raise up to
$78 million over six years before its sunset in 2013, during the
August 21 primary election.
“If we don’t get the money,” Paulson said, “the
full purchase of Alcoa-Evergreen may not happen, but the rail project
will still need to go through the property.
“Additionally, lack of this funding source may compromise
the rail project and hamper existing port operations, overall growth
opportunities and development at the port.”
* * * * * * * *
The Port of Vancouver, USA, created by Clark
County taxpayers in 1912, is one of the major ports on the Pacific
Coast. Its competitive strengths include available land, versatile
cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a dependable
labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers
and community.
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Contact:
Nelson Holmberg, Communications Manager
direct: 360.992.1107 or mobile: 360.518.2553
email: nholmberg@PortVanUSA.com
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