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Home My WebLink About03(360) 379-5047 (email: citycouncil@cityofpt.us) www.cityofpt.us March 2012 From Mayor David King - Debt and Taxes Much of the 2012 budget process required adjusting to the continuing shortfall in real estate related revenue by allocating more of our other revenue sources to debt service. I thought I'd figure out just how much of that comes from my property tax. My 2012 property tax bill for our home is just over $2,500 which includes $718 collected by the City (excluding dedicated funding for emergency medical services). Per the 2012 budget, about 2.75% of prop- erty tax revenue is allocated directly to debt service. That equals $19.74 of my $718. After some additional direct allocations to other funds, the balance of property tax is added to the General Fund, 8.28% of which is allocated to debt service. Using the percentage of the General Fund that comes from property tax and the percentage that goes to debt service, another $5.75 comes out of my $718. Just over $25 per year or 1% of my property tax is paying for city projects ranging from McCurdy Pavilion, to sidewalks on San Juan, to the downtown Civic District. The City has an excellent record of "leveraging" our bond money to meet emergent city needs, implement- ing the goals of the Comprehensive Plan and securing the City's three economic "anchors" - Upper Sims, Historic Downtown and Fort Worden - as directed by Council at our retreat in 2008. This year's repair of the tunnels under Water, Washington and Taylor streets will receive over $400,000 from FEMA with a match of $57,000 by the City. Most recently, the City's commitment of $500,000 to the restoration of Build- ing 202 at Fort Worden led to a promised match of over $4 million from the state. Having said that, we are near the limit of bonding that existing revenues can support. By statute, a Wash- ington city may issue bonds up to the amount of 2.5% of the city’s assessed value for general purpose, and 1.5% of that may be non-voted (that is approved by action of city council) and paid for from existing reve- nues. Port Townsend's most recently assessed value was $1,463,343,405. Our current bond debt is $17,618,451, all of it approved by City Councils and funded without special levies. That equals 1.2% of our assessed value, 82.25% of our non-voted general purpose debt capacity, and 48.6% of our total general purpose debt capacity. We don’t have any tax supported bond debt for parks or utilities which could be up to an additional 5% of assessed value with voter approval. Absent voter approval for additional taxes for new projects, we are in a period of consolidation. Most of the General Fund is committed to mandated uses like police, fire, and the library. Even the small allocation of our property tax to debt service impacts our capacity to support other community needs like the pool and parks. For the next few years, we will be concentrating on getting the most for our remaining bond funds and reducing our debt while maintaining services. The complete 2012 budget can be accessed from the City’s website. City 28¢ | | | City - Library - Fire 10¢ 7¢ 11¢ State Schools County Local Schools EMS Other* 27¢ 17¢ 16¢ 6¢ 6¢ *Conservation Futures, PUD, Hospital, Port City of Port Townsend For updates and project information on the Downtown Streetscape Sidewalk Project visit: www.cityofpt.us/currentprojects.htm and click on “Downtown Streetscape Sidewalk Tunnel Lids.” Council Office Hours Per our discussions at this year’s retreat, the City Council will have regular office hours in the Mayor’s Office at Historic City Hall on the second floor. Hours are scheduled to be twice weekly: Tuesdays 11 – 1 and Thursdays 3 - 5. They will be posted on the calendar on the City’s website. It is our hope that citizens will take ad- vantage of having this informal access to Council. The Friends of the Port Townsend Library Used Book Sale Saturday, March 10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (8 a.m. for members of the Friends) at the Community Center in Uptown PT. Spring Recycle Tip for the Gardener Spring is here and it’s time to sow your fa- vorite vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Do you ever purchase deli items served in those black plastic trays? You know the ones that chicken and sushi come in and have lids? These make perfect little greenhouses for starting your vegetables. Add peat pods, water, and basil, thyme, cilantro seeds or whatever tickles your fancy and in a few short weeks, you’ll have fantastic, fresh herbs. For more waste reduction and recycling tips visit http://www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/ index.php?solid-waste or call Pinky Feria-Mingo at Jefferson Co. Public Health 385-9444. Port Townsend Little League registra- tion is now open for the 2012 season! More information online at www.ptll.org or pick up applications at the Police Dept., Mt. View Commons. Jefferson County Wellness & Safety Fair Saturday, March 24, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Commons at Ft. Worden State Park. A free event with speakers, vendors, screenings, prizes and much more! Visit their facebook page for more information. NOTICE: COMPOST IS READY The City of Port Townsend Compost Facility will have compost available to be picked up at the compost facility site beginning Monday, March 12, 2012. Compost sales will be on a first-come, first-served basis, until sold out. Our days and hours of operation are Mon- day, Wednesday and Friday between 12-3 p.m. The cost for the compost is $12.00 per cubic yard. If you purchase 10 or more cubic yards at one time the cost is $9.00 per cu. yd. Please bring exact change. If you have any questions call 385-7908 or 385-3193. Completion of Library Expansion and Improvement Project Phase 1/Library Relocation Phase 2 Please join us for a public celebration and ribbon cutting on Saturday, March 3, 2 p.m. at the Library Learning Center/ Charles Pink House to acknowledge the completion of Phase 1 of the library expansion and improvement project. This phase was entirely funded by the capital campaign and the facility will be used for a wide range of programs for all ages. Thank you to all of the donors who supported this important project. Phase 2, the seismic retrofit of the Carnegie building, will begin the first week of April. During this phase, the library will relocate to the cafeteria at Mountain View for adult and teen services and to a classroom in the main building for children’s services. We are hoping to maintain the same level of service as nearly as possible in our new quarters for the next 6 to 8 months. Starting March 1—Photo exhibit at the JCHS Muse- um on the history of the sidewalk tunnels March 3—Downtown Indoor Sidewalk Sale • Restaurant Specials • Gallery Walk March 14—WOW Wednesday! Midweek specials unique to each merchant March 23-25—Victorian Heritage Festival March 28-April 1—ArtFest! A cooperative marketing program between the City of Port Townsend and the PT Main Street Program The 2012 Community Read is sponsored and solely fund- ed by the Friends of the Port Townsend Library. Join us for the many activities planned as we discover Winterkill by Craig Lesley Discuss the Book—Informal discussion groups throughout March at various locations Spirit of Place—A juried art show starting March 3 at Northwind Arts Center PT Shorts—March 3, 7:30 p.m. at the Cotton Building Winterkill: A Writer’s Perspective—March 14, 7 p.m. at the Library Learning Center (formerly the Pink House) The Two Wolves Within—March 16, 1-3 p.m. at the Library Learning Center Back Country Bow Hunting slide show and discussion— March 17, 5:30 p.m. Library Learning Center Barrels and Bows—Barrel Racing and Archery Exhibition- March 18, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Jeffco Fairgrounds Tribal Treaty Rights and Natural Resources—March 21, 7 p.m. Library Learning Center Meet the Author—March 29, 7 p.m. at the Port Townsend High School Auditorium Homeward Bound Homebuyer Education Class. Saturday, March 17, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Mt. View Commons, 1925 Blaine St. Learn all that’s new in buying your home. Visit www.homewardboundclt.org or call 360-565-2068 for more information.