Honest answers to the questions Port Townsend residents ask most.
Can't find your answer here? Email us at mpd.parks@gmail.com — we read every message.
A community-initiated Metropolitan Parks District (MPD) to ensure long-term, dedicated funding for parks and recreation through a publicly elected board. The Salish Community Metropolitan Park District would give Port Townsend residents direct, permanent control over parks and recreation funding — independent of Jefferson County's budget process.
Historically, parks and recreation funding has come entirely from Jefferson County's general fund. County-wide budget shortfalls from multiple competing needs — mandated services, insurance spikes, public defense costs — have resulted in decades of insufficient funding, leaving facilities in disrepair and programming stagnant. As our community grows, families and seniors want and need more opportunity for healthy, active lifestyles.
An MPD would:
In March 2026, Jefferson County presented three budget options to address a $350,000 Parks & Rec shortfall — and all three required closing the Port Townsend Rec Center. Hundreds of community members packed the commissioners' chambers, 113 testified, and the community raised $85,000 through the Jefferson Community Foundation to keep the doors open through the end of 2026.
Commissioners voted to use county reserves to maintain parks and recreation services through 2026. But county reserves end the year below the minimum recommended level, and the structural deficit driving these cuts — a $5.2M gap caused by Washington's 1% property tax cap, a 35% insurance spike, and unfunded state mandates — is not going away. Without an MPD, Port Townsend faces the same crisis again in 2027.
No. This is a strictly nonpartisan, community-driven effort. Our organizing committee includes people across the political spectrum united by one thing: wanting great parks and recreation for Port Townsend.
MPD supporters urge all Jefferson County residents to vote YES on the Levy Lid Lift on the August 2026 ballot. These two measures work together, not against each other.
The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners has proposed a levy lid lift that would tax all of Jefferson County at $0.21 per $1,000 of assessed property value for six years. It would maintain current parks and recreation facilities and programming county-wide and also fund 4-H programs and the County Fairgrounds. It will not address structural improvements to current facilities or expand services and programs.
Voting YES on the Levy Lid Lift keeps our parks funded now. Supporting the MPD ensures Port Townsend has a permanent, self-governed solution in place when the levy expires.
No.
If the MPD passes on the November 2026 ballot, no new taxes will be levied. The formation vote simply creates the district and elects a board. The board will then begin planning for the future — applying for grants and donations to fund future parks and recreation improvements.
When the MPD board has its plan ready, a second affirmative vote will be required from Port Townsend residents before any taxation begins. That future levy would fund services and infrastructure above and beyond what the county currently provides.
Additionally, Jefferson County commissioners have stated publicly that they are committed to lowering the levy lid amount if and when a new MPD tax comes into effect — so the two would work in tandem, not stack on top of each other.
The MPD's future levy — approved in a separate vote by Port Townsend residents — would fund improvements and expansions that the county levy cannot address, such as:
That's exactly the point of building an MPD now. When the county levy expires, Port Townsend will have a functioning, elected parks board and an established funding mechanism already in place — rather than facing another crisis from scratch. The MPD ensures continuity and long-term planning instead of lurching from emergency to emergency.
In March 2026, the Port Townsend Rec Center and Memorial Field faced imminent closure due to county budget shortfalls. The Port Townsend community came together quickly to raise money and show support, and the county put together a new plan to keep parks and recreation functioning through year-end across the entire county.
Historically, reaching consensus on county-wide parks funding has resulted in stalemate and no forward movement. By creating a narrowly focused MPD within Port Townsend city limits, we can more accurately define our community's specific needs and start moving forward immediately.
Over time, with voter support, the MPD boundaries could expand to encompass other parts of Jefferson County.
Once created the MPD has limited authority to levy property taxes; but in order to do so, a subsequent ballot measure will be placed before the voters — subject to state tax laws.
The MPD is also able to apply for grants to supplement it's revenue.
All MPD funds go into the district's dedicated account. By law, money can only be spent on parks-related purposes. The board adopts a public budget each year subject to public comment. An independent auditor reviews the books annually. All financial records are public under Washington's Public Records Act. The state auditor also has oversight authority.
Washington State offers a property tax exemption program for low-income seniors (61+) and disabled persons. If you already qualify for the state senior exemption, that same exemption applies to MPD levies. The organizing committee is also committed to ensuring any future levy design includes hardship provisions for our most vulnerable neighbors.
A five-member Board of Park Commissioners elected by district residents to staggered six-year terms. The board meets publicly at least monthly, sets budgets subject to public comment, hires a professional parks director, and is subject to the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act. Every decision is made in public and on the record.
You have direct recourse: attend public board meetings and speak during public comment, contact commissioners directly (all contact info is public), vote them out at the next election, or organize a recall petition. The board is accountable to Port Townsend residents in ways county government simply cannot be for any single community.
The county's structural deficit continues to worsen. When the Levy Lid Lift expires in six years, Port Townsend will have no independent parks funding mechanism in place and will face the same crisis — with fewer reserves and more deferred maintenance. Formation can be attempted again in a future election, but the window for getting ahead of this problem is now.
We need 2,000 valid signatures from registered voters residing within Port Townsend city limits — approximately 15% of registered voters. Our volunteer team collects signatures at farmers markets, community events, neighborhood canvasses, and by request. If you'd like to sign or help collect, contact us.
Every dollar donated to the campaign (not to the eventual MPD itself) pays for:
Campaign donations go toward the political and legal work needed to give voters the chance to create an MPD — not toward parks operations.
No. Contributions to ballot initiative campaigns are political contributions, not charitable donations. They are not tax-deductible under federal or state law. All contributions are disclosed publicly as required by the Washington Public Disclosure Commission.