The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1920-06-17
LINDEN WILL VOTE
ON PORT DISTRICT
What Project Is And What 1t Means
to District Presented by Chamber
Of Commerce

LINDEN will be asked shortly to
endorse a movement for the creation
of a port district in Bellingham, and
to contribute funds for it's establish
ment. two mill general tax would
be levied to pay expenses of the prof.
ect.
What the plan is, is indicated in
the following outline submitted by
the Chamber of Commerce of Belling-
ham:
Districts of less than 80, 900 people
are entitled to three commissioners; ;
in this district there would be one
/ from each county commissioner dis
trict and they are elected-one from
the first district to serve for one
year; one from the second district
to serve two years; one from the
third district to serve three years.
After this initial election, one COM
missioner is elected each year and
serves term of three years.
in order to accomplish the origi-
nal election. a petition must be sign
ed by ten per cent of the qualified
voters in the district. These petit
tions are checked by the county COM
missioners and if found correct they
give thirty days notice of special
election for this purpose. Candi-
dates are nominated, one from each
district, by petition and no name can
be placed upon the ballot If the Pc
titiOn carries less than 100 names of
qualified voters. At this special cleo
tion a majority of the votes cast in
the district is necessary to carry the
election.
/ These three commissioners serve
without pay. Their election author
ICES them to add two-mill tax on
the assessed valuation of the district,
to be added to the next tax assess
ment, after their election, and also
confers upon them the same power OF
condemnation as held by any other
municipal corporation. tThe two
mill tax above referred to is to be
used to cover the preliminary ex-
penses of the commission in their du-
ties as explained below and will be a
permanent tax until such time as the
port is established and its earnings
sufficient. to cover such expenses.
Their authority is absolute. They
are required to establish an office, Sc
cure the services of competent en-
gineer and lay out such improve
ments as may be necessary for the
present as we'll as future business.
1t is then their duty to prepare plan
of such improvements in the district
as may be required for immediate
use and care for business which they
feel will actually develop by the time
such improvements are completed.
These plans and specifications must
be perfected and an approximate cost
established when they again go be-
fore the people of the district ask
ing for permission to issue bonds to
be used in payment of this work.
This issue of bonds must not exceed
8 per cent of the valuation of THO dis
trict and the money SO raised can on
ly be used for the purpose stated in
the call for this election.
Sixty per cent of the votes cast at
this election must favor this Issue in
order to grant the desired pernis-
sion.
The law provides for a fifty-year
bond; although they may be retired
in less time; as the law also provides
for a sinking fund for that purpos'-.
We realize that the people in the
district would not approve Of such
bond issue; neither would these
bonds sell to an advantage, unless
there was a1sassurance that business
enough could be secured to make
them a safe investment
We have a standing offer, at the
present time, from one of the largest
! and most reputable shipping firms in
, the United States. of business
enough, as soon as a suitable ocean
: dock can be completed. to more than
: pay the running expenses OF the cock
interest on bonds and incidental ex'
penditures covered by the two-mill
tax. We are assured of this business
any time next year when such inn
provements can be completed.
The Seattle Port Commission has
seven docks, costing s7,774, 4,0S4.SO
r Their net gain for the years 1918 and
1919 were as follows: 1918, $529,'
55O.4s; 1919, ss4o,s44.47; making
total of sS70,394.95.
Besides the port district docks, Sc
attle has 5S other docks.
The Philadelphia Port Com
missions report for 1919 shows tha
e coo eight thousand ton steamers dis