Last month, I challenged the priorities of the Island County Joint Tourism Board. Bob Wilbur, the chair of Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve, responded the following week. Let’s look at a few of his points.
I had noted that “the tourism board is acting as a fundraising and volunteer recruitment platform for environmental groups that have little or nothing to do with tourism.” Mr. Wilbur responded, “Contrary to that, I believe our tourists are drawn to the island particularly because of its environmental attributes…”
No doubt, Mr. Wilbur is correct: Many visitors are drawn by the island’s natural beauty. That misses the point. When the board spends money to help organizations such as Sound Water Stewards or the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, they divert tourism dollars away from their true purpose.
Those groups, as worthy as their aims might be, are not in the business of promoting tourism. In fact, their interests are best served by fewer tourists – quite the opposite of the board’s mission.
Mr. Wilbur then makes a straw man argument: “Do you really want to ignore those visitors and instead expand those who come to party by the water’s edge or the Harley Hogs groups that love to cruise Whidbey?”
No — exactly the opposite. The board’s mission is to bring as many people and dollars here as possible. Bring the bikers, bring the partiers, bring the nature lovers. Every visitor, regardless of their reason for coming, increases the return on lodging tax dollars.
Mr. Wilbur’s last point: “Allen, you go on to mock the 2.5% annual growth rate in tourism as unimpressive. Impressive or not, I’m not sure the growth rate is particularly pertinent.”
It is exactly pertinent. If the board cannot spur higher growth, why spend $900,000 a year funding it? Jesus’ Parable of the Talents reminds us: Investment should yield results. The board is a public investment in private industry. One could argue that government should just stay out, but if we’re spending public dollars, let’s demand better results.
Now: on to a new topic.
Three centuries ago, Benjamin Franklin founded America’s first library. He recruited shareholders who contributed capital to start the project and paid annual dues to expand the library’s holdings. The Library Company of Philadelphia still exists today.
It’s noble when private citizens pool their resources for worthy public goals. The Whidbey Camano Land Trust (WCLT) appears to be such a group, focusing on land conservation. But when the group relies on public money, the nobility fades.
Year after year, the Voter Interests Project has watched WCLT apply for grants from the county’s Conservation Futures (CF) program. In 2025, they received $550,000 for their projects at Double Bluff and the Holmes Harbor Community Forest. They also got $600,000 from the state’s capital Budget. (Much to the chagrin of Rep. Dave Paul, D-Oak Harbor, that state grant has been cancelled.)
Since 2020, WCLT has received more than $2.6 million from CF. Their IRS filings show they’ve received $29.6 million in government grants since 2005 — $9.2 million in 2023 alone. Island County taxpayers will send $900,000 in property taxes to the CF program this year.
But land conservation is not an investment, at least not in the conventional sense. There is no financial return. Land conservation limits development, keeping the taxable value of the land low. It reduces future tax revenues.
Two points about taxes: First, when government taxes you, it is saying it can spend your money better – “more wisely” or “for a higher purpose.” Taxes redirect your money away from your own priorities. (If you think they’re right – that Olympia can spend your money better than you – feel free to write a check to the Office of the Treasurer. Let me know if you do.)
And second: Everyone pays property taxes. Owners pay directly, and renters pay higher rents. Landlords pass the tax along; they don’t just absorb the cost. Thus, every property tax raises the burden on those least able to afford it and pushes rents up in an already expensive market.
Unlike the Joint Tourism Board, WCLT is clearly achieving its purpose. This year’s projects will add 297 acres to the 11,330 they were already conserving. When you add in the lands protected by other entities, such as Island County and the Navy, the total land under protection is 24,912 acres. Since the land area of Island County amounts to 108,641 acres, that means 18.8% of the county has been shielded from development. The question here is how much is enough? The land trust’s 2024-2030 Conservation Plan doesn’t say, but their map of Protection Priority Areas and Conservation Corridors appears to be between 35% and 40% of the county.
Part of the problem lies in the Conservation Futures program itself. State law limits spending to no more than 25% of Conservation Futures funds on maintenance and operation of acquired lands. The remaining 75% must go toward acquisitions. This creates a government appetite for open land that is almost insatiable. Island County considered pausing the program in 2024; they should revisit this pause, declare the mission accomplished and end the program. WCLT should consider doing the same.
Allen McPheeters is the executive director of the Voter Interests Project, a nonpartisan organization that informs the public about the actions of local government and political candidates. He is a former chair of the Island County Republican Party and works for a provider of business intelligence software for large law firms.
