Grays Harbor County Commissioner and Chairman Wes Cormier was the lone dissenting vote for most of the property tax levies approved for the 2017 budget on Monday, Dec. 5.

Of five property tax levies, Cormier voted in favor of only the Veteran Relief Property Tax increase of 1 percent, noting that the levy is required.

The substantial need levy allows for the county to seek 101 percent of the highest amount of regular property taxes that could have been lawfully levied (in any year since 1985).

During the media information session following the afternoon meeting, Cormier said he didn’t believe the levy is necessary.

“I don’t think we need that. We’re already at our levy ceiling … so that’s something we probably won’t be able to use anyway — at least in the road fund,” Cormier said.

As for property tax levies in the general fund, Cormier said he’s committed to not raising those.

“I promised not to vote for those property tax increases, and I’m just keeping to my word,” Cormier said.

Cormier made a motion to reduce the miscellaneous fund/road fund property levy tax by 13 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, but the motion failed for lack of a second.

“We just got a nearly half-million dollar windfall, and it’s too bad we couldn’t see a reduction with this type of windfall,” Cormier said.

During the morning meeting, Cormier noted the road fund would be receiving more than $460,000 in state timber excise tax for 2016 over what was budgeted. The general fund will receive some $250,000 in 2016 of additional revenue.

In the past, Commissioner Frank Gordon had noted his concern about large maintenance projects for county bridges and the county’s ability to match state funds for those projects. He echoed those concerns during the meeting.

“We have five bridges coming up to be done, and our match on the bridges is $3.5 million and I want to make sure there are such funds in there to take care of that bridge work that is very necessary,” Gordon said.

Cormier opposed the 1 percent increase, but it was approved by both Gordon and Commissioner Vickie Raines.

During past conversations, Cormier had advocated for lowering the road levy to allow for junior taxing districts to gather addition funds. The levy has capped, and without the county reducing its take, those districts (fire, library and hospital districts) are unable to raise their levies. Fire District 5 Chief Dan Prater also had advocated for a decrease in the county’s claim to the road levy. Prater noted his district would benefit by some $71,000.

Raines said she was being “cautious” in her vote to approve the full increases for each levy, noting staff turnover.

“I have concerns over the current budget cycle we’re going into,” Raines said. “We’ve had a tremendous amount of staff changes, with some relatively longstanding employees with institutional knowledge. The budgets that were submitted that are currently being worked on are being worked on by two individuals (different from those ) who actually submitted them last summer because we’ve had Betty Strabbing retire (from the roads department) and the resignation of (former Public Works director) Joseph Seet.”

Raines said she’s not opposed to levy reductions so long as it’s not detrimental to county projects.

“I’m just being cautious in that right now until we have a clear look at the budget with current staff and current leadership and management there,” Raines said. “I’m not willing to make a change at this time.”

Cormier said he understands Raines’ position, but he didn’t agree with Gordon’s.

“He voted for the road levy shift which reduces the road fund by $750,000 one year and reduced it by $500,000 the next year — if there was concern about projects or roads, I just don’t think it passes the smell test,” Cormier said.

Cormier’s proposed reduction would have amounted to about $335,000, he noted last month.