Jan. 2, 2020- Central Committee passes Resolution Advising Rejection of 2020 Port Angeles School District Levy

Whereas Port Angeles School District seeks a 175% local school levy property tax increase, a $52 million capital levy requiring only simple majority approval to needlessly demolish and replace some Stevens Middle School buildings; and

Whereas the Clallam County Republican Party believes the Port Angeles School District should:

• demonstrate due diligence by carefully considering our local economic situation and taxpayer affordability,
• provide “life safety” by first seismically retrofitting buildings where needed,
• use the least costly solution by replacing only worn out heating, plumbing, and electrical systems and other essential systems if needed,
• if possibly needed, use modular construction’s cost and efficiency benefits.

 Whereas our local economy differs significantly from wealthier areas in our state demonstrated by

• 34% higher unemployment than state’s average and 133% higher unemployment than Seattle/King County’s,
• Clallam County’s median income of $22,500 less than our state’s median,
• Clallam County’s family income decline of $5,525 since its 2011peak,
• 6% of renters in Clallam County) identified as “cost-burdened,” using over 30% of household income for housing; and

Whereas PUD rates will increase 25% in the next five years, local taxes continue to increase yearly, 2019 county property valuations increased approximately 20%-25% or more, causing significant tax increases; and

Whereas PASD planners ask voters’ approval to wasteful demolition of usable buildings when common sense tells us we would not demolish or own homes to replace worn out heating, electrical, and plumbing systems; and

Whereas PASD intends to pay $475 taxpayer dollars per sq. ft. for new construction., $381 for Stevens remodeling, and intentionally ignores a minimum of 35% modular construction cost savings; and

Whereas Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction Facilities Administrator Tom Carver advises, “remodeling always costs less than new construction; and

Whereas PASD plans to move sixth-graders

• by adding 18 new Stevens classrooms but no definitive study finds sixth grade benefits when moved to middle schools,
• the PASD school board has failed to provide requested research for such benefits,
• PASD enrollment is1266 less students than peak 1990 enrollment and now remains flat; and

 Whereas PASD has wasted approximately $130,000 for two failed special elections in 2016 and 2018 instead of placing their proposals on the November ballot; and

Whereas five times voters passed initiatives requiring a two-thirds vote for legislative tax increases, PASD diminishes voters’ inherent right to control taxation amounts by placing capital levies requiring simple majority approval on the ballot; and

Whereas, PASD’s superintendent stated this $52 million plan “. . . honoring the previous work of community members and their recommendations over the past decade” overrides common sense solutions;

Therefore, the Clallam County Republican Party Central Committee recommends that voters reject the 2020 PASD capital levy proposal.

Passed by the Clallam County Central Committee at their regular meeting on January 2, 2020.

READ PDF VERSION OF THE RESOLUTION HERE.

April 9, 2018 – Central Committee passes Resolution in Support for Federal Government Standing by its Assurances to the City of Port Angeles Regarding the Elwha Water Facilities

“WHEREAS, in 1992 the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act (the “Act”) was passed, with the goal of river and fish restoration, and the Federal Government provided assurances to the City of Port Angeles that it would continue to be able to obtain large quantities of affordable high quality water from the Elwha River after removal of the Elwha River dams;

“WHEREAS, such assurances were essential for the City of Port Angeles agreeing to the dam removal because of the considerable increase in sediment carried by the river post dam removal;

“WHEREAS, the Elwha Water Facilities (“EWF”) replaced a low cost, low maintenance industrial water supply system with complex, high cost facilities requiring a maintenance expense higher by approximately a factor of ten;

“WHEREAS, there will also be considerable future replacement costs of the new, expensive water treatment and pumping equipment once it reaches the end of its life span;

“WHEREAS, Clallam County is economically distressed, with an unemployment rate 70% higher than that of Washington State;

“WHEREAS, the City of Port Angeles can not bear the burden of the higher cost of water resulting from this federal project, and placing it on its citizens would have disastrous consequences on the City’s ability to keep its current industrial employers and attract new ones;

“WHEREAS, this is not a partisan issue but one of the Federal Government keeping its promises, and one of jobs and economic prosperity for our struggling community; and

“WHEREAS, river and fish restoration in the Elwha basin is a public good pursued as a result of  Federal Government action, the cost of which should be borne by all taxpayers through the Federal Government rather than burdening our local community as yet another unfunded federal mandate;

“THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Federal Government should stand behind its assurances and pay for the increased costs of operating, maintaining, and future replacement of the EWF.

READ PDF VERSION OF THE RESOLUTION HERE.

Jan. 8, 2018 – Central Committee passes Resolution Advising Rejection of Port Angeles School District’s Proposed Capital Levy

On January 8, 2018, at its monthly central committee meeting, the Clallam County Republican Party (CCRP) advising rejection of the Port Angeles School District’s (PASD) Proposed Capital Levy.  The Levy subsequently failed at the polls.

Key points about this Resolution are:

1. The PASD board does not consistently state the purpose of the levy.
2. This measure flouts the will of the people for a super majority vote to raise taxes.
3. The capital levy, factually, will increase PASD taxpayers’ school district property tax by 75% and is exorbitant because this levy must be paid in six-years.
4. Initiative 1351 mandates Washington state’s legislature and not the school districts’ taxpayers to provide smaller class sizes;
5. PASD’s current enrollment totals 1254 less students than peak 1990 and total enrollment and recent yearly enrollment varies little;
6. The PASD Board excludes modular construction thus costing PASD taxpayers at least 35% more than necessary;
7. Credible research concludes smaller class sizes may produce no improvement in student learning;
8. The PASD Fairview Elementary renovation would provide another school and modular construction could furnish a few classrooms if needed;
9. The PASD Board official claims to establish “life safety” as its “highest priority,” but, instead, asks for $46.7 million to “relieve overcrowding” or provide smaller class sizes.  READ MORE AT  https://www.stop75percenttax.com

Click here to read the Resolution: 
CCRP Resolution, PASD 2018 Capital Levy

CCRP Central Committee stands for an alternative method of increasing county revenue other than a sales tax increase

The Clallam County Republican Party Central Committee passed a Resolution favoring an alternative to a proposed sales tax increase on the ballot,  written and presented by Sue Forde, based on a presentation by Kaj Ahlburg.

CLICK HERE TO READ: CCRP Resolution offering better alternative than sales tax increase 2017

On October 9, 2017 at its monthly central committee meeting, the Clallam County Republican Party (CCRP) adopted a resolution against the proposed sales tax increase.  

The CCRP believes in the great work being done by the employees at the Juvenile Detention Center, and fully supports their tireless efforts to make a difference in the troubled youth in the program. Our detention center is, by all accounts, the best in Washington State. We commend all those that have worked tirelessly to accomplish this.

However, we feel it is incumbent upon the County to not use a tax increase to try to solve budgetary issues. A tax increase should be the last resort, and should not take the place of making hard decisions that would achieve the same results of a tax increase.

The CCRP further recognizes the fact that this issue is before us, in large part, by the “Unfunded Mandates” placed upon the counties in Washington State by our Legislators (both past and present). We call upon our elected State Legislators to recognize the problem they have placed upon all the counties, and to look towards finding a fix. At a minimum, they should fully fund the legislative burdens they place on local governments.  (News release issued by Chair Matthew Rainwater on Oct. 10, 2017)

CCRP Central Committee stands against the Wild Olympics Agenda and urges County Commissioners to withdraw their support

The Clallam County Republican Party Central Committee reviewed a Resolution against the Wild Olympics Campaign written and presented by Sue Forde, then unanimously passed it,  urging the Clallam County Board of Commissioners to withdraw their support.

Click here for Resolution.

Read the story about the presentation of the Resolution and citizens’ involvement here.

Read background information and stories about the Wild Olympics Agenda here.

8/10/2011 – Commission — Time to end the Wild Olympics debate – – The Daily World

8/6/2011 – Forks panel speaks to the Wild Olympics Campaign, Reintroduction of Wolves, and UN Agenda 21
7/23/2010 – Wild Olympics program planners move forward with support of county commissioners, environmental groups

3/20/2011 – Coalition forms to stop Wild and Scenic Rivers, New Wilderness designations for Olympic National Park

CCRP Central Committee demands withdrawal from ICLEI

The Clallam County Republican Party Central Committee reviewed a Resolution to demand that the Board of Clallam County Commissioners withdraw from ICLEI- (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives), now ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability. written and presented by Sue Forde, then unanimously passed it.  Subsequently, Chair Dick Pilling presented it to the County Commissioners at their regular meeting.  The Commission, several weeks later, decided to withdraw from ICLEI.

(ICLEI states that it promotes the UN’s “Agenda 21” and “Habitat Agenda”. Agenda 21 is the UN’s blueprint for “sustainable development”, and The Wildlands Project, which calls for radical changes away from the principles of our U.S. Constitution and State Constitutions.)

Click here for Resolution.

Read Kaj Ahlburg’s editorial on this issue.

Background Information about ICLEI and Sustainable Development.

Read (and download) the booklet, “Understanding Sustainable Development – Agenda 21″.

Want to learn more? Go to www.takingliberty.us, The Citizen Review Online, and NWRI.org

Want to help? Educate yourself, then tell your friends and neighbors about Agenda 21.

RESOLUTION  – Maintaining Our Sovereignty

The following resolution was voted upon and unanimously passed at the June 15th, 2009 Central Committee meeting.  

“We, the Central Committee of the Clallam County Republican Party of the state of Washington hereby, by majority vote, resolve that our state should retain and maintain our sovereignty within the National Electoral College system and as such, should not relinquish control of our electoral votes to other American states as would be mandated by the National Popular Vote Compact.

“We see the National Popular Vote movement to be a method to institute a constitutional amendment to eliminate the Electoral College without following the constitutionally approved means to effect such amendments.  We strongly support the existing constitutional amendment process and all of its time-proven safeguards.