January 10 - 16, 2019
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Semiahmoo Parkway needs repair, page 3
Blaine wrestlers place at Vegas tourney, page 6
Learn how to stay active at the Blaine Senior Center, page 8-9
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
New B&O tax Boys basketball gets first conference victory would target wholesale and manufacturing businesses B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e
(See Tax, page 4)
s Blaine’s Adam Vega drives toward the hoop against Meridian on January 3 at Blaine High School. Vega scored the final basket in Blaine’s 75–73 conference win against Meridian. Story on page 6. Photo by Janell Kortlever
2018 year in
REVIEW
A look back at the year that was This is the second and final review of 2018. Read part one in last week’s print or online edition.
July • Residents and visitors gathered in Blaine for the Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration. The all-day event included a pancake breakfast, ‘Shine and Show’ car show, parade, live music by Silver City Band, The Replayzmentz and Checo Tohomaso and fireworks at Blaine Marine Park. • Custom knife company Silver Stag opened in Blaine on July 4. Founder and majority owner Brad Smith sells knives at
more than 1,000 stores, including Cabela’s. • The Pacific Arts Association (PAA) hosted the Drayton Harbor Music Festival July 8 through July 14 in Blaine. The festival is the biggest event of the year for the PAA and featured concerts at the G and H Street plazas as well as a music camp for kids. • Birch Bay’s waterfront filled with sand sculptures as part of the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce’s annual competition on July 14 and 15.
Government shutdown impacts local agencies, residents By Gwen Roley With the federal government shutdown in its third week, local citizens are starting to feel the impact on their daily lives. In an Oval Office appearance Tuesday night, President Trump blamed the Democrats for the impasse over federal funding of border security and said the matter could be solved in as little as 45 minutes. In response, Democrat leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer called on the President to re-open government agencies and negotiate border security separately.
President Trump shut down the government at midnight on December 22 after Congress and the President failed to agree on the appropriation of federal funds for the 2019 fiscal year. As a result, some – but not all – federal government agencies have closed their offices and discontinued operations. Approximately 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed or are working without pay while federal contractors have been off work. However, some government departments have previously been funded and remain open. The federal agency with the largest
presence in Blaine, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is continuing to operate in a limited capacity. Kenneth Williams, CBP area port director, told The Northern Light U.S. ports of entry will remain staffed and travelers will still be admitted to the U.S. “Without an appropriation bill, CBP Office of Field Operations can only perform essential functions, such as anti-terrorism, narcotic and bioterrorism functions,” Williams said. (See Shutdown, page 5)
• After spending 20 years as head ranger of Birch Bay and Peace Arch state parks, and 43 years with Washington State Parks, Ted Morris retired. In an interview with The Northern Light, Morris listed his accomplishments, including helping form the Friends of Birch Bay State Park and restarting the Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2. (See Year in Review, page 7)
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4
INSIDE
To keep up with a growing demand for city services, Blaine City Council will consider approving a 0.2 percent Business and Occupation (B&O) tax on wholesale and manufacturing businesses with gross receipts of $20,000 or more per year. “Additional revenue is essential to maintaining existing service,” said Blaine city manager Michael Jones. “Whether it [comes from] a B&O tax is still open to discussion.” Per state law, a B&O tax can be imposed by a city at a maximum tax rate of 0.2 percent on manufacturing, wholesale, retail and service businesses. Gross receipts are defined as the total annual revenue of an organization, without subtracting costs and expenses. Manufacturing businesses such as plants, factories and mills are those that transform raw materials, substances or components into new products and wholesale businesses arrange the purchase or sale of goods to retail establishments, said city finance director Jeff Lazenby in an email. “These types of businesses pay little in the way of sales tax, but rely on city services like police, roads and streets,” he said. Lazenby estimated that 30 to 50 businesses in Blaine would have to pay the tax and said a business that grosses $500,000 in annual revenue would pay $1,000. City services are primarily funded through a 6 percent utility tax, which applies to electric energy, garbage and solid waste refuse, natural gas, telephone service and cable television businesses; an 8.7 percent sales tax, of which the city retains 1.05 percent; and a property tax. “Strict legal guidelines prohibit reallocation of funds from one city service to another,” according to a statement from the city. “For example, money from utilities cannot be used for other city services, such as police or public safety.” Hamstrung by budget constraints brought on by the late 2000s recession
Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Coming Up . . . . . 14
Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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