07/10/2007: "Storm Water Referendum: CC To Court?"

The County Council (CC) will conduct a “Reconsideration of Declaration Judgment on Storm Water Referendum” today, Tuesday, July 10, 2007, at 9:00 am (at Islanders Bank, downstairs). As previously reported , the CC has been advised by the County Prosecutor that if they decide to go to Court and challenge the validity of the public to vote on the collection of a new fee -now included on their property tax bill- the Court may side with the CC. If so, this would allow the CC to stop the public from voting on the fee.

Alex Gavora -who filed the petitions that will place the referendum on the ballot- told the CC that just the act of starting a law suit to stop the public from voting will have a negative impact on the ballot measure, even if the County loses the case. Gavora is concerned that there is very little time left to have a full discussion of the pros and cons of the referendum that are necessary to educate the voter.

When the CC voted at their last meeting to go to court to stop the referendum, Councilman Gene Knapp was absent, and the motion failed to pass. With the return of Knapp, it is expected a new vote will be successful, since Knapp has expressed concern about storm water issues in Eastsound; and since the money collected county wide will be used initially to install a storm water system in Eastsound, and given that Knapp represents Eastsound, it is expected he will cast the deciding vote to go to court.

If the vote is successful, the property owners in Eastsound will not be forced to purchase bonds, or tax themselves, to install a storm water system, such as was done by the town of Friday Harbor.

Later in the day, At 11:15 a.m., the CC will hold a Public Hearing to consider an Ordinance Adopting Rules of Procedure for Council , and then at 1:30 there will be a briefing on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Ordinance