Residents urge Clallam County commissioners to challenge BIA land-into-trust decisions over tax loss

Several residents urged the Clallam County Board of Commissioners on March 18 to oppose Bureau of Indian Affairs decisions transferring parcels into trust for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, saying the transfers would reduce county property tax revenue and shift costs to local taxpayers.

"The Bureau of Indian Affairs recently approved the transfer of six more parcels of land into trust status for the Jamestown tribe. This decision removes over $21,000 in annual property tax revenue from the county," said Jeff Tozer, identifying himself as a Sequim resident. "The loss of revenue forces local taxpayers to shoulder even more of the burden, worsening our already serious affordability crisis."

John Worthington of Sequim and other commenters echoed that concern and urged commissioners to consider filing appeals, which Tozer noted the BIA allows for affected entities. Stephanie Day asked directly, "Where are you going to offset that deficit? We have no idea. It shouldn't be on the taxpayers to make up that difference."

Commissioners did not take a formal vote on pursuing an appeal during the meeting. County staff and commissioners responded to related public concerns in the county’s general comment period and during responses to public remarks, noting that letters of support for other entities (for example, a letter to Sen. Patrick Murray for the YMCA of the Olympic Peninsula) are separate actions and that county officials routinely review the financial and legal implications of revenue changes.

Why it matters: Residents framed the loss of assessed value as a recurring drain on county services that fund schools, libraries, emergency services and roads. Speakers said local taxpayers ultimately bear those costs if trust transfers remove parcels from the tax rolls.

Clarifying details: At the meeting, speakers described the revenue loss as "over $21,000" annually for the parcels referenced. Commenters said appeals are permitted by the BIA but did not specify whether the county has a pending appeal or formal plan to challenge the recent decisions.

Ending: Commenters asked the commissioners to prioritize county revenue protection and to be transparent about any steps the county will take; commissioners approved a consent agenda that included a separate letter of support to Sen. Patrick Murray for the YMCA of the Olympic Peninsula, but did not place a motion on the record to challenge the BIA actions during this meeting.