Patriot Bremerton
Rock it!!! Bremerton store caters to Kitsap’s Kustom Kulture scene Page 7
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014 | Vol. 16, No. 52 WWW.BREMERTONPATRIOT.COM | 50¢
NOW THAT’S A FERRY LINE Steve Rinehart/staff photo
Thousands of fans packed on to ferries Wednesday morning to attend the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Championship victory parade in downtown Seattle. This panorama was taken at Second and Washington in downtown Bremerton at about 8 a.m., making it appear as though Kitsap Transit has some sort of new-fangled mini-bus on the right side of the image.
Port says ‘no’ to pot producer for a second time BY LESLIE KELLY LKELLY@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Despite a personal plea from a local entrepreneur, the board of commissioners for the Port of Bremerton are standing firm that there will be no pot production on port property. “This doesn’t mean that our policy can’t change sometime in the future,” Port Chairman Roger Zabinski told Jeff Way, “but we have to uphold the
strongest of the laws and that means we will follow the federal law which still views marijuana as illegal.” Way, who represents a group of investors under the name Seattle Inceptive Group, came before port commissioners last week to ask them to reconsider their action to pass a resolution that would make it impossible for his company to lease or buy a building in the Olympic View Industrial Park, a port-owned
and operated industrial park. Last month, port commissioners passed Resolution 2014-05 which upheld previous action that all tenants on port property must comply with all applicable local, state and federal laws. Way said he had been in negotiations with the owner of a building in the industrial park for more than six months and had plans to purchase it and begin a marijuana production operation in that
building. He was told it would be only a formality to get the port to sign off on the deal, when he ran up against the port’s Resolution 2014-05. Washington voters last year approved I-502 making marijuana use legal in Washington. The state is working to license producers and retailers and sales are anticipated to begin within a year. Way said he and his investors received three licenses in the state lottery to be produc-
ers of cannabis, the term he used in his presentation. He said they already have locations in south Seattle and Mason County. He wants to have the third location in Kitsap County. He plans to employ 10 to 12 people in Kitsap County in the first year, and up to 40 by the end of year two. “We are working to bring the industry to a level of legitimacy,” Way said. “We know there are ports in Washington
who have agreed to work with I-502 businesses and we want to alleviate any concerns you have.” Port officials, including Fred Salisbury, director of operations, have said that the resolution was not aimed at the marijuana industry, but rather at upholding federal law. Commissioners have said they fear that the Federal SEE PORT, A13
School levy ballots due Feb. 11
ONE HOT RIDE
BY SERAINE PAGE
SPAGE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Seraine Page/staff photo
Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue responded to a car fire on Tuesday afternoon at an East Bremerton Chevron. The fire was contained to the trunk, and no injuries were reported.
Voters looking to participate in the special election this month regarding local school levy replacement must have their ballots in by Feb. 11. Those ballots may be mailed or dropped off at deposit locations. Seven ballot deposit locations will be available for the special election through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Feb. 11. On the ballot for the Bremerton School District is No. 100-C, a replacement levy that supports areas not fully funded by state or federal funds. For Central Kitsap School District voters, the measure is No. 401, a Maintenance and Operations renewal levy to support day-today operations. Both are not new taxes, just renewals of expiring school support levies. Neither district has had a failed levy in the past 10 years, said Kitsap County Elections Manager Dolores Gilmore.
For Bremerton, the approximate levy rate per $1,000 would be $3.68 starting in 2015. In 2016, the rate will be $3.73, and for 2017 it will be $3.78 per $1,000 of assessed value. The rate will extend through 2018 and will hover at $3.83 the final year of the levy per $1,000 of assessed value. According to a Bremerton School District levy publication, the local levy and levy equalization fund almost 24 percent of the district’s overall budget. “Bremerton School District wants to continue funding the programs and services supported by the current maintenance and operations levy previously approved by our community partners and families. Many of these current programs and efforts are recognized by the state and federal government as both innovative and life-changing for students,” said Bremerton School Board President Scott Rahm. “Without your support this would not be possible as our state legislature continues to fall short in its responsibility to fund public education.” SEE LEVIES, A13