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Point Roberts advisory committee forms steering committee for TBD fund, pauses gas‑tax push
Summary
PRCAC voted to form a steering committee to draft spending priorities for the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) fund and agreed to pause a ballot request to double the TBD gas tax from 1¢ to 2¢ until community outreach and a spending plan are produced.
The Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee voted Feb. 19 to form a steering committee to recommend how to spend revenue from the community's Transportation Benefit District fund and to hold off asking voters to raise the local gas tax.
Chair Allison moved that Jeff Christopher and Reese Torval Hansen serve as co‑chairs of a TBD steering committee; the motion was seconded and approved. Committee members said the steering committee will study contract administration options, likely contract locally for mowing, ditch clearing and snow‑plowing, and design outreach to set community priorities. Members used a working figure of about $50,000 per year as a conservative annual spending guideline tied to investment income and recurring receipts from the TBD fund and said they want to avoid drawing down the $1.2 million principal.
On the question of raising the TBD gas tax from 1¢ per gallon to 2¢, Chair Allison moved that PRCAC put the request on hold until the steering committee completes community engagement and a clear plan for spending. A friendly amendment to incorporate the proposal into a broader plan was accepted; the amended motion passed on an aye vote. "I would like to make a motion to put on hold the request to increase the gas tax from 1¢ per gallon to 2¢ per gallon to this time next year after we have worked with the community, the steering committee, and started to create projects, and we know how much we're making," Chair Allison said during the motion.
Why it matters: PRCAC controls how TBD revenues are used locally and can leverage the fund as matching money for larger state or federal grants. Members emphasized establishing clear priorities and demonstrating the fund's use before asking voters for a higher gas tax.
What comes next: The steering committee will be charged with drafting priorities, estimating net revenue from investing the existing principal and recommending outreach tools (town halls, surveys, QR codes). PRCAC said Public Works contracting and initial legal/administrative costs will be part of the committee's review.
