According to the Election Day count, the majority of Clallam County voters rejected Proposition 1. Proposition 1 is also known as the Buyers Excise Tax because buyers will be the ones who will have to pay the tax. The tax would last ten years and then it should have to be reinstated by voters.
In case Proposition 1 were accepted the taxes on value of property sold in the County would increase 1 percent. The money collected would be used to buy conservation easements on county farmland. Such easements would be tied to the property title forever thus ensuring the land would be always developed as a farm.
Opponents to the tax are mainly local Real Estate firms that are mainly funded by the Government, as well as associations of national Realtors. Both said that new owners would have an extra burden when buying a property, and anyway, the proposed tax was not the best way to preserve farmland. In their turn, supporters, who are mainly local farmers and conservationists, argued that the tax is a great opportunity, perhaps the last one, to protect the countys farmland, which is in great danger after the past years sale for development.
Chair of No on Proposition 1 Mike McAleer said that they all basically agree on the fact that open space has to be preserved, however, there is no agreement yet on how to do that.
