Year in review: Point Roberts Taxpayers Association

Our logo is “United States and Canadian Citizens Working Together for Point Roberts.” The Point Roberts Taxpayers Association (PRTA) seeks to promote appropriate economic development while preserving the social and environmental qualities that make the Point so attractive to residents and visitors.

To this end, we create a space to discuss community issues and we participate actively on the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) and the ad hoc border committee. We also volunteer for litter collection on Gulf Road under the county’s adopt-a-road program.

PRTA’s board of directors meets on the second Wednesday of each month, at 7 p.m., in the community center, to discuss issues and concerns, hear guest speakers, and meet with local officials.

The board consists of nine regular and four alternate directors, elected by the membership at our annual general meeting in July. Everyone is welcome to join and participate in all of these meetings to help make Point Roberts a great place in which to live, work, invest, or visit.

During this past year, PRTA has hosted several special guests at regular and special meetings, where the public was invited to ask questions and raise issues. These included Whatcom County Assessor Keith Willnauer (January), Blaine school district superintendent Ron Spanjer (April), Whidbey Telecom representatives (July), U.S. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (August), and Point Roberts fire chief Chris Carleton (December).

Over the years, PRTA has lobbied to preserve Lily Point, protect the environment, block unsafe or inappropriate development, improve local governance, and obtain better government services. A new, high priority of the organization is to identify a basis and mechanism to earmark some portion of state sales tax on out-of-state purchases shipped to a Point Roberts address.

We would like to create an account under the authority of county council, with advice and consent of PRCAC, to fund special projects that benefit quality of life in Point Roberts.