Guest Opinion: What It Means for SJ County to Be a “Net Donor”

By James Wolf

I read recently that Washington State is a net donor (paying more than they receive) of Federal taxes per dollar of Federal spending in our state.  According to 2010 data, Washington receives just $0.88 for every dollar of Federal taxes. Our nearest neighbors, Oregon , Idaho and Montana receive $0.93, $1.21 and $1.47 respectively. This got me thinking, how does our county compare in State spending for every dollar of state taxes.

I found two articles that focus on this question as it relates to King County .  Using 2008 data from the Office of Financial Management (the most recent I could find) of the 39 counties in our state, six are net donors (pay more than they receive) and 33 are net recipients (receive more than they pay). San Juan County is one of the net donors and at merely $0.46 the county receives the least for every dollar of state taxes of all 39 counties.

Perhaps you think since we have a small population we would therefore receive less per dollar.  King County , the most populous county in the state, is also a net donor at $0.62. The second most populated county (Pierce) receives $1.25, making it a net recipient, while the third most populace (Snohomish) nearly breaks even at $0.99.

Of the seven counties that are smaller the San Juan by population, all are net recipients ranging from $1.42 going to Skamania County to $3.16 going to Ferry County. These seven counties average receiving $2.27 per every dollar sent to Olympia. Of the seven counties closest in population to San Juan , six are net recipients ranging from $0.87 (Kittitas, a net donor) to $2.20 (Asotin) for an average of $1.69.

Last week we received the 2011 tax statements from the San Juan County Treasurer. Assuming the taxes, fees, assessments and levies are similar throughout all of the islands; the breakdown looks something like this:

If San Juan County received back just the average of the seven smaller counties ($2.27 per every dollar sent to Olympia ), San Juan County would receive 3.5% more than the ENTIRE TAX LEVIED. To clarify, if your total tax was $1,000, you would send $456 to Olympia and you would get back in state spending $1,035.12. If San Juan County received back only the average of the seven next larger counties ($1.69), San Juan County would only need to collect added taxes for funding the county and roads. There would be no need to levy additional amounts for such things as schools, fire, libraries, etc. If San Juan County received back just the average of these fourteen counties ($1.98 per every dollar sent to Olympia ), San Juan County would only need to levy a road tax.

This isn’t a issue about how much the state has or how much it spends, but rather it’s about a more equitable use of the monies it has.  At a time when we are constantly asked to approve levies for schools, parks and recreation, water system upgrades and such; when we are threatened with huge fare increases and reduced service of the Ferry system (a vital component of the state and federal highway system) I think we should ask our representatives in Olympia to push harder for economic equality. We have shown that we are willing and able to carry our weight, but the weight of 33 other counties?  That’s not just.