HomeMy WebLinkAboutres2010-006 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2010 — 85 A
CLEARANCES Initial Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned to:
Nelson 2/9/2010 2/9/2010 Council
Originator:
Division Head:
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Dept.Head: r L'�Y(16—, 'q7//O _
Prosecutor:
Purchasing/Budget:
Executive:
TITLE OF DOCUMENT:
Resolution opposing the Model Toxics Control Act tax increase
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing? ( ) Yes ( X ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( ) NO Requested Date:
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public
hearing,you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
COMMITTEE ACTION: COUNCIL ACTION:
2/9/2010: Council Amended & Approved 6-1
Weimer opposed
Res. 2010-006
Related County Contract#: Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution
Number: Res. 2010-006
Please Note: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
on the County's website at: www.co.whatcom.wa.us/council.
1 Res. opposing MTCA tax increase
2 SPONSORED BY : Consent
3 PROPOSED BY: Nelson
4 INTRODUCTION DATE : February 9 , 2010
5
6 RESOLUTION NO . 2010 - 006
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8 OPPOSING THE MODEL TOXICS CONTROL ACT TAX INCREASE
9
10 WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council is opposed to the supplanting of taxes
11 collected from any citizen initiative ; and
12
13 WHEREAS , HB 3181 / SB 6851 would increase the state 's Model Toxics Control Act
14 ( MTCA) tax from 0 . 7 percent to 2 . 0 percent to help pay for stormwater projects ; and
15
16 WHEREAS , HB 3181 / SB 6851 is estimated to cost businesses and consumers in
17 the state of Washington approximately $ 224 million per year and
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19 WHEREAS, the State Department of Revenue estimates that a two - percent MTCA
20 tax is the equivalent of a 5 - 7 cent increase to fuel prices at the pump ; and
21
22 WHEREAS , there has been little discussion of this proposed tax increase at a time
23 when Washington businesses and families , especially low - income families, are struggling to
24 cope with current economic conditions ; and
25
26 WHEREAS , Washington motorists already pay the sixth - highest gas tax in the nation
27 and the highest gas tax in the Northwest ; and
28
29 WHEREAS, the additional costs imposed on fuel products by HB 3181 / SB 6851
30 could impair the ability of lawmakers to utilize new gas taxes to pay for critically needed
31 transportation infrastructure to improve safety and relieve congestion ; and
32
33 WHEREAS, the petroleum industry is a key segment of Washington State 's
34 manufacturing base , responsible for more than 20 , 000 high - paying jobs in the state , and a
35 critically important local employer ;
36
37 WHEREAS , the petroleum industry already pays more than $ 182 million per year in
38 taxes to the state of Washington and the taxes on a Washington State refinery are currently
39 roughly double the taxes on a comparably sized facility in California ; and
40
41 WHEREAS , petroleum refineries in Washington State are responsible corporate
42 citizens, having invested more than $ 590 million over the last five years on retrofitting their
43 plants to produce cleaner burning fuels and conform to new environmental and safety
44 regulations ; and
45
46 WHEREAS, some jurisdictions have yet to adopt broad local low impact development
47 incentives and retrofits so that individual homeowners have education and incentives to
48 personally reduce or eliminate stormwater runoff even though the Washington State
49 Department of Ecology adopted such a manual years ago ; and
50
51 WHEREAS , local communities and counties currently have programs and facilities in
52 place to address stormwater issues, and their efforts should be supported by the Legislature
1
2
3 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council, in
4 recognition of the facts stated above, does hereby oppose the proposal to dramatically
5 increase the MTCA tax, as contained in HB 3181 / SB 6851, or any similar legislation and
6 urges the Washington State Legislature to reject this measure.
7
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Council encourages the
9 Legislature, should it find sufficient evidence to support the need for new stormwater
10 management programs, to develop a more scientifically justifiable and equitable funding
11 mechanism than thallproposed in HB 3181 / SB 6851.
12 ������� i�too,
13 AP 6VEkgf i�/ h day of February , 2010.
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15 ., • O� C�rNTYO�: �S. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
16 AT �`� 7_,ITCOMyOUNT_,4.7ASHINGTON
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19 Dan ro�� vis,. C(� k•of th, Council J am Crawford, Co ncil Chair
20 �'., '. hilJG` •.
21 �■ '•�� . `.�
22 APPRO - eV* it It ye ` ` \
23 ' hill of
24 A , . A /k L.
25 ivi~Deputy Prosecutor
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