King County voters may be asked later this year if they’d like to change the Port of Seattle’s name to the Port of King County, reflecting that its money comes from taxpayers across the county.
A group called King County Citizens for an Accountable Port yesterday turned in a petition with nearly 725 signatures to the Port of Seattle, asking for a vote on the proposed name change.
Port officials will verify the signatures. If 250 of them are registered voters in King County, the measure will go on the ballot in November, said Paige Miller, president of the Port commission.
Many of the signatures are from residents who have opposed the third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the Port’s tax levy, Miller said. Proponents, however, said a broad range of King County voters signed the petition.
Among those endorsing the ballot are Sen. Julia Patterson, D-SeaTac; Rep. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines; Rep. Rod Blalock, D-Des Moines; Des Moines Mayor pro-tem Terry Brazil; Sen. Bill Finkbeiner, R-Carnation; and Vivian Matthews, former Burien deputy mayor. Finkbeiner and former Seattle City Councilwoman Virginia Galle co-chair the King County Citizens for an Accountable Port. Longtime environmental activist David Ortman, who also is vying for a Port of Seattle commission seat against incumbent Jack Block, is the group’s campaign manager.
“The purpose of this petition is simple,” Ortman said in a statement. “It asks for a vote by King County citizens to change the name of the Port to reflect the fact that the Port taxes property owners countywide and impacts the public countywide.”
The cost of adding the measure to the ballot will be about $2,000, but there are no estimates as to how much it would cost to change the name and logo on everything from cranes and trucks to signs, Port spokesman Mike Merritt said.
Port officials fear the biggest effect would be marketing under a new name: King County may be well-known in Washington, but that doesn’t mean it’s recognized internationally, Miller said. Lisa Pemberton-Butler’s phone message number is 206-464-2342. Her e-mail address is: lpem-new@seatimes.com