District 2 candidates, backers and foes, call for changes to fee-waiver program

This is the second in a series exploring Clark County council candidates’ views on five different issues. The candidates’ views on transportation were published Monday.

Still to come: charter implementation, relationship-building and growth management.

o Fee waivers

County fee-waiver program a contentious issue for council chair candidates

District 2 candidates, backers and foes, call for changes to fee-waiver program

o Transportation

County chair candidates weigh in on transportation issues

Councilor candidates in District 2 discuss transportation priorities

Though they had varying degrees of criticism and praise for the county fee-waiver program, all five candidates for the new District 2 Clark County council seat called for changes to the blanket waiver of building and traffic-impact fees.

Here are their talking points:

• Chuck Green, Democrat: Green said he would support a narrower, targeted version of the fee-waiver program to attract family-wage jobs to Clark County.

Green pointed to Vancouver’s fee-waiver program, which waives business license surcharge fees and reduces traffic-impact fees for companies with 200 or more employees that pay higher-than-median salaries. Such incentives attracted Banfield Pet Hospital to move its corporate headquarters from Portland to Vancouver.

“I’d be in favor of working with (the Columbia River Economic Development Council) and the cities to craft such a revised program,” he said.

• Mike Pond, Democrat: Pond said he supports a re-evaluation of the fee-waiver program, which he said gives a “tax loophole” to large companies that already planned to develop in Clark County.

Clark County can also better build jobs by working with Clark College, Washington State University’s Vancouver campus and the Clark County Skills Center to keep skilled workers locally, he said.

• Mary Benton, Republican: In a written statement to The Columbian, Benton praised the county’s fee-waiver program, saying Clark County needs to attract high-tech businesses and innovative companies that will bring high-wage jobs to Clark County.

“Government doesn’t create the jobs,” she said. “It creates an environment where business can have low startup costs and thrive during the growth stages of the business.”

Benton also said the county needs to “lift the burden” off residential developers so they, too, can grow in Clark County. “There needs to be a balance so the tax burden is not absorbed by the resident businesses,” she said.

• Tanner Martin, no party preference: Martin said Clark County needs to do more to diversify its economy, particularly with regard to agriculture. “I want to create synergy between economic development in Clark County,” he said.

Martin also said Clark County needs to attract a large company, such as a manufacturing or trade organization.

“I do like big business because big business create small businesses to support them,” he said. “We need a heavy hitter.”

Martin was also critical of the fee-waiver program.

“We’re giving away free money,” he said.

• Julie Olson, Republican: Olson said she’s “all about removing barriers for economic development,” but it’s time to evaluate the fee-waiver program to determine whether it’s effective.

She said she wants the county to consider reasonable permit fees to keep costs low for commercial and industrial developers. However, the county needs to better balance the program so less tax burden falls on residential developers.

“We have our builders that are really supporting that community development department,” she said. “The end fund of that department is increasing, but it’s being increased on the backs of our residential builders.”