Port of Bremerton Commissioners,
As assertively and respectfully as possible, I urge the Port of Bremerton Commissioners to refuse the EDD Grant and end the SEED project, unless it can be accomplished without taxpayer subsidy. We are facing extraordinarily harsh economic times that will require the preservation of property tax dollars for the most necessary priorities of government... infrastructure, law and order, and public education.
If you go forward with betting even more taxpayer funds on the SEED “entrepreneurial activity” (as termed by the Berk Report), you risk the good will of the public to vote yes for real quality of life investments like schools and public services.
Current national economic conditions should be teaching us valuable lessons. We cannot afford to continue to speculate with taxpayer dollars. Speculative investment is not a priority of government. Those who want to speculate on “green” jobs can invest their own funds in the form of venture capital. I would encourage the Port to work with private investors to fund the SEED project. However, I object to any further insistence that taxpayers continue as the only investors in this highly speculative project. The Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority tried speculating with the taxpayer's money and we, the taxpayers, lost. Surely you see and understand the parallels.
Our local employers need highly educated high school graduates who have the math, English, and communication skills to grow into a trade or to attend college and return for engineering positions. To attract employees to relocate or remain here, our local employers need to be able to market a high quality of life in Kitsap County, through parks, recreation, and public safety. Every tax dollar that goes towards subsidizing SEED is a tax dollar unavailable for the priorities of government.
Page 45 of the Berk Report is quite clear:
“Establishing an incubator in a location with relatively low levels of immediate research and entrepreneurial activity is a catalytic, market-making venture and so the plan absolutely comes withuncertainties and risks…”
I implore the Port of Bremerton Commissioners to vote NO to further speculative investment of tax dollars in SEED. We have not seen private investment in SEED after three years. We have not seen any commitment of private industry to SEED. It is time to cut our taxpayer losses. We face deficits in the county budget and in the state budget ($3.2 billion and growing). Please give taxpayers some relief and good will. Please focus Port of Bremerton activities on growing jobs that don’t need subsidies from taxpayers.
Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Citizen within the Port District
As assertively and respectfully as possible, I urge the Port of Bremerton Commissioners to refuse the EDD Grant and end the SEED project, unless it can be accomplished without taxpayer subsidy. We are facing extraordinarily harsh economic times that will require the preservation of property tax dollars for the most necessary priorities of government... infrastructure, law and order, and public education.
If you go forward with betting even more taxpayer funds on the SEED “entrepreneurial activity” (as termed by the Berk Report), you risk the good will of the public to vote yes for real quality of life investments like schools and public services.
Current national economic conditions should be teaching us valuable lessons. We cannot afford to continue to speculate with taxpayer dollars. Speculative investment is not a priority of government. Those who want to speculate on “green” jobs can invest their own funds in the form of venture capital. I would encourage the Port to work with private investors to fund the SEED project. However, I object to any further insistence that taxpayers continue as the only investors in this highly speculative project. The Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority tried speculating with the taxpayer's money and we, the taxpayers, lost. Surely you see and understand the parallels.
Our local employers need highly educated high school graduates who have the math, English, and communication skills to grow into a trade or to attend college and return for engineering positions. To attract employees to relocate or remain here, our local employers need to be able to market a high quality of life in Kitsap County, through parks, recreation, and public safety. Every tax dollar that goes towards subsidizing SEED is a tax dollar unavailable for the priorities of government.
Page 45 of the Berk Report is quite clear:
“Establishing an incubator in a location with relatively low levels of immediate research and entrepreneurial activity is a catalytic, market-making venture and so the plan absolutely comes withuncertainties and risks…”
I implore the Port of Bremerton Commissioners to vote NO to further speculative investment of tax dollars in SEED. We have not seen private investment in SEED after three years. We have not seen any commitment of private industry to SEED. It is time to cut our taxpayer losses. We face deficits in the county budget and in the state budget ($3.2 billion and growing). Please give taxpayers some relief and good will. Please focus Port of Bremerton activities on growing jobs that don’t need subsidies from taxpayers.
Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Kathryn Simpson
Citizen within the Port District
