Woodland council adopts resolution opposing Port of Woodland tax-increment financing plan

The Woodland City Council on Monday voted unanimously to adopt a resolution stating the city opposes the Port of Woodland's proposed tax-increment financing plan.

The resolution, introduced by Mayor Todd Deinhardt and put before the council as action item H, records council's formal opposition but does not prevent the port from proceeding. "This is just something that as a consolidated council that we are saying, hey. We oppose this form of financing," Mayor Todd Deinhardt said before opening the floor for public comment.

Council members said they were acting to put the city's position on the public record. "All it does is let them know on record officially how we feel," Deinhardt said. Councilmembers moved and seconded the motion and recorded unanimous ayes.

Public comment at the meeting featured firefighters and residents objecting to use of tax-increment revenue to capture funds currently used for emergency services. Josh Brooks, representing Local 3674's firefighters union for Clark/Cowlitz area fire services, told the council the union supported growth but opposed allowing a third party to redirect voter-approved levy funds. "The money in these cases were approved by the citizens for specific purposes," Brooks said, warning the proposed financing could reduce funding for fire and emergency medical services.

Several council members, residents and Cowlitz County Commissioner Rader echoed that concern. Council members said response-time gains since a recent voter-approved EMS levy would be at risk if local fire or EMS funding were carved out of the tax base and reassigned. "I can't believe that sane people would take any funding approved by the public at large away from our police department, law enforcement, and or our fire department," one councilmember said.

Council discussion emphasized that adopting the resolution would not legally block the port's action but would record the city's opposition and signal concerns to partner agencies. "Us saying that we oppose it does not mean it changes anything with the port, but it at least puts it on record," Deinhardt said.

The motion passed on a roll-call vote of seven ayes, zero nays. The council then moved on to a transportation impact-fee workshop later in the evening.

Residents who spoke at the meeting raised additional local concerns tied to potential development under the port plan, including increased heavy truck traffic on Capels Road and uncertainty about who would pay to repair affected county and city roads.

The resolution text does not change the port's legal authority. City officials described the vote as a policy statement for the record and an expression of community preference for leaving voter-approved public safety levies intact.

Councilmembers who voted in favor were: Councilmember Friend; Councilmember Houston; Councilmember Freimark; Councilmember Hall; Councilmember Dowdy; Councilmember Burke; and Councilmember Rounds. The ayes have it.