Budgets: Bellingham, Seattle

The $58 million 2018 strategic budget adopted by the Bellingham Port Commission provides significant investment in marine trades infrastructure, environmental cleanup, and ongoing development of the downtown waterfront.  It also includes upgrades to railroad crossings in support of the Fairhaven Quiet Zone and increased focus on economic development.

 

The budget allocates more than $7 million for large equipment, upgrade power, and main pier improvement at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal to.  Modernizing the shipping terminal has been a priority for several years.  Just a few weeks ago, the job-creating facility received its first regular cargo shipment in more than 17 years. 

 

The budget also earmarks $2.6 million for construction of commercial fishing webhouse in Blaine and removal of the existing webhouse to improve the layout of Blaine Marine Industrial Park.  These upgrades are intended to support the growing marine trades industry in Blaine Harbor.    According to the port, the maritime trades support more than 6,000 jobs, or 7.0 percent of the Whatcom County workforce.

 

The 2018 budget continues funding a $12.5 million project at Fairhaven Shipyard to clean-up historic contamination, improve marine habitat and modernize aging infrastructure.  These investments will allow the shipyard to expand operations and hire new employees.

 

In the Waterfront District, the port will install franchise utilities to help connect downtown Bellingham to the water and develop district utilities to support the recruitment of clean-tech industries.  In the marine trades area, the port will invest more than $1 million in new infrastructure to support the continued growth of the working waterfront.  

 

In 2018, the port will upgrade railroad crossings, the Alaska Ferry access road, and support the Fairhaven Quiet Zone to reduce train horn noise in Fairhaven Marine Industrial Park.

 

The 2018 budget also revises the way economic development is funded at the port.  Joint funding from the port, City of Bellingham and Whatcom County will be used to hire a director of economic development.  To be based at the port, the new position will be charged with overseeing business development in Whatcom County.

 

As part of the budget process, the commission voted to hold the port levy steady, meaning annual taxes on a $350,000 home – the median price in Whatcom County – will be approximately $88 in 2018.

 

Visit the Port of Bellingham’s budget Web page to learn more about the 2018 budget, the budgeting process, how tax dollars are invested in the community and more. 

The Port of Seattle Commissioners on November 28 adopted a 2018 budget that returns income from port operations to benefit businesses and travelers, expands opportunities for local communities, and protects the quality of life for people and the environment. 

 

The budget specifically builds on ongoing investments to meet the long-term travel and trade needs of the region, supports jobs and business opportunities on the working waterfront, funds new regional transportation infrastructure to benefit commuters and businesses, and expands internship, apprenticeship, workforce training and small business opportunities for underserved communities. 

 

For the third year in a row, the commissioners left the port’s annual King County property tax levy collection unchanged at $72 million.

 

"This budget puts the port’s operating income to work addressing persistent public service challenges including: modernizing and expanding travel, trade and industrial infrastructure to better serve this growing region, working with intention to ensure that every community benefits from port services and opportunities, and protecting the environment amid greater density and increased operations," said Port of Seattle Commission President Tom Albro.

 

Seattle port assets include Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as well as various maritime facilities. More than 150 employers operate at Sea-Tac Airport, and dozens more at port-owned cruise, commercial fishing, recreational marina and industrial facilities. 

 

In 2017 the port accommodated nearly 50 million passengers at Sea-Tac Airport and, for the first time, more than 1 million passengers at its cruise terminals. For 2018, the port forecasts increases from 2017 of 5 percent in airport passengers, 3 percent in cruise passengers, and 11 percent in grain volumes.

 

The 2018 budget:

• Funds redevelopment and strategic plan for Fishermen’s Terminal, home of the North Pacific Fishing Fleet
• Continues improvements at Terminal 91 to improve services for commercial fishing and cruise industries
• Dedicates more resources to acquire maritime industrial property 
• Directs $200,000 to study the feasibility of an Eastside Remote Bag Check-In and Mass Transit program
• Expands the port’s marketing support for statewide tourism by dedicating an additional $50,000 to promote local eco-tourism and an additional $50,000 to market the region to international visitors
• Expands the port’s paid-summer internship program, primarily aimed to offer opportunities to underserved high schools, from 82 to 90
• Hires experts to implement port policies to expand opportunities for women and minority owned small businesses and to increase apprenticeship opportunities for women and minorities. 
• Contributes $90,000 to a Washington Department of Transportation statewide disparity study on FAA funded projects at 64 Washington State airports. 

The 2018 capital budget is $895.1 million and the 5-year capital spending plan approximately $3.1 billion.  Operating revenues are budgeted at $670.5 million (up 8.1 percent compared to the 2017 budget), operating expenses at $422.9 million (+9.9 percent), and net operating income at $247.6 million (+5.1 percent).

 

Just over 84 percent of the port’s $1.6 billion funding will come from operating revenues and bond issues. More than half of its funds will be spent on capital projects in 2018. The property tax levy collection of $72 million makes up less than five percent of funding sources for 2018 and will remain unchanged for the third year in a row.

 

Just $0.14 per $1,000 assessed value in King County property tax goes to the Port of Seattle. The port uses tax levy funds for community investments, such as regional transportation projects, environmental remediation, workforce development and economic development partnership programs and environmental initiatives.