grays harbor county and weyco...this should be interesting

[bowbuild]

I was there....my impression is it was too controversial, yes the commissioners are disappointed, but I think they are unsure of the legality of their potential move. There was a ex-commissioner there, that was not a help, as she was against the move. My impressions of the meeting

Best thing you can do is boycott the permits, but even here no one can agree on everything, and there are always going to be those that will cave out of the need to hunt no matter what. We will have them to thank in the future.

Bowbuild

[fireweed]

http://thevidette.com/sections/news/local/hot-debate-over-future-fee-access-grays-harbor.html

It's clear to me that this issue needs addressed at the state level.  But we've got to keep the debate going until the winter (which shouldn't be hard through hunting season). 

[blackdog]

My sources tell me Frank Gordon has promised Weyco a no vote.

[bowbuild]

My sources tell me Frank Gordon has promised Weyco a no vote.

Without the inside intel you have, I could tell how Gordon was going to vote!

[blackdog]

We need folks in force tomorrow at GH county meeting room 2 pm. Rumor is now Herb Welch is balking on the ordinance. 

[280ackley]

Actually the county will not get more money.  Instead the tax burden would shift or equal out.  So a homeowner like me who currently pays higher taxes to off set the timberland owners lower tax will see my tax rate go down.

I think your dreamun of more then elk.  If the forest tax rate goes up your property tax won't be going down.

[bobcat]

Actually the county will not get more money.  Instead the tax burden would shift or equal out.  So a homeowner like me who currently pays higher taxes to off set the timberland owners lower tax will see my tax rate go down.

I think your dreamun of more then elk.  If the forest tax rate goes up your property tax won't be going down.

Why wouldn't it? If one landowner pays more, the others will pay less. That's how it works.

[dreamunelk]

Actually the county will not get more money.  Instead the tax burden would shift or equal out.  So a homeowner like me who currently pays higher taxes to off set the timberland owners lower tax will see my tax rate go down.

I think your dreamun of more then elk.  If the forest tax rate goes up your property tax won't be going down.

Read the tax laws!  The county would have to balance the tax within the budget.  Say they increase 10 million than they have to lower on others to fall inline with the budget. 

[zike]

Years ago a hunt club was formed in SE WA and leased land from private land owners and sold memberships. This closed the lands to hunters who wouldn't buy memberships. The land was taxed as Open space so the counties threatened the land owners. Since the land was being used for fee recreation, their taxes would go up. I don't if the matter went to court, but nothing ever came of it and the hunt club prevailed.

[dreamunelk]

It passed!  Commissioners all voted in favor of the ordinance.

Time will tell what this all means.

[MarkyMark]

Is/or has the county taken on other private land owners like Rayonier or are they just going after Weyco?

[blackdog]

small forest landowners exempted. Those that harvest less than 2 million bd/ft year.
 

[MarkyMark]

Gotcha. Thanks.

[bobcat]

So does Rayonier qualify as a small forest landowner?

[blackdog]

As of now only WEYCO and Rayonier have programs that could be captured by this ordinance. Green Diamond may come into GHC this year with their access program.