The county’s Economic Alliance presented a months-long study of local economic development tools and the group’s recommendation to pursue the option of “less-than-countywide” port districts or other targeted taxing districts that could raise funds for infrastructure and development in specific communities.

Mason Duke, economic development specialist with the Economic Alliance, and other Alliance representatives reviewed research into vacancy taxes, vacant-building registries, business licensing and the potential to establish port districts limited to cities, towns or smaller regions rather than the entire county. They said a county-wide port district is unlikely to generate sufficient taxable property in some rural parts of the county and that a legislative amendment would be required to allow sub-county port districts.

The presentation outlined options the Alliance’s subcommittee has considered to incentivize reuse of vacant downtown buildings and to make small-scale infrastructure investments: a vacant-building registration with tiered fines or fees, continuing utility billing on abandoned buildings to discourage long-term vacancy, landlord registries, targeted business licensing, and creating a smaller port district that could issue bonds and invest in water, sewer or industrial sites.

Commissioners and municipal leaders expressed skepticism about new taxes amid current cost pressures; several members said they preferred targeted incentives and lower regulatory barriers over new countywide taxes. Alliance members said the model they favor would require a legislative change to the state statute so that cities or groups of cities could sponsor a local port. The group also suggested a toolkit for communities with draft ordinance language to accelerate adoption of vacant-building registration or landlord licensing in those jurisdictions that choose to pursue it.

No formal county action was taken. The Economic Alliance said it will continue researching legal routes and work with local cities and legislators about whether to pursue a statutory amendment to allow localized port districts or other financing mechanisms.