Unfair to ask Thurston citizens to pay for fuel dock

The Port Of Olympia is about to borrow money to build a fuel dock for boaters. All Thurston property taxpayers support the port with our property tax dollars in the amount of about $5,000,000 annually – plus about $50,000,000 additional debt. The port operation is cash-strapped and just took out a $5,000,000 line of credit.

The port already loses several million dollars a year, especially on the obsolete and polluting marine terminal. A fuel dock will almost certainly increase the port’s losses. Collateral for the port’s losses and loans is the property tax levy.

Boaters, a small percentage of Thurston taxpayers, will be the beneficiaries of this new fuel dock.

Of our three port commissioners, both Joe Downing and Bill McGregor firmly support the fuel dock. Downing has been a strong advocate of the fuel dock since before he was elected.

As a member of the Olympia Yacht Club, Downing has stated that the fuel dock would be approved when it comes up for a vote soon. Because Downing and his boater friends and allies stand to benefit most from a publicly subsidized fuel dock, in the interest of fairness to the taxpayers and voters of our county he should abstain from voting on a fuel dock.

Let your port commissioners know what you think about this and other issues by going to portolympia.com. Click on the Commission button to find the Members links which will take you to commissioner phone and email contacts.

This story was originally published June 10, 2016 at 10:27 AM with the headline "Unfair to ask Thurston citizens to pay for fuel dock."