Clallam County residents and arts leaders press commissioners on proposed cultural access sales tax; opponents call for vote, metrics

At the March 25, 2025 Clallam County Board of Commissioners meeting in Port Angeles, cultural leaders and residents both urged and opposed a proposed county cultural access sales tax, pressing the board for clear metrics, transparency on how revenue would be spent and whether the county should put the measure to a public vote.

Supporters said the tax — described during public comment as a one-tenth of 1% incremental sales tax — would fund arts, science and heritage programs that contribute to local jobs and tourism. Carrie Chance, director of the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts and Port Angeles Concerts on the Pier, cited a statewide Department of Commerce figure and said, “the creative sector in Washington contributed $119,000,000,000 to the GDP of the state. It's 19.6% of Washington's total economic…