HomeMy WebLinkAboutProtection Island letter to Rep Randall 260420
April 20, 2026
The Honorable Emily Randall
United States House of Representatives
1103 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
RE: Protection Island Transfer and Fiscal Mitigation for Jefferson County
Dear Congresswoman Randall,
I am writing to you today regarding the proposed transfer of Protection Island in my Commissioner District in Jefferson County to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. First, I want to express
my deep respect for the Tribe’s ancestral connection to this land and our ongoing commitment to Tribal sovereignty. However, I must also bring to your attention the fiscal implications
this transfer holds for Jefferson County, particularly regarding the loss of payment in lieu of taxes, also known as Refuge Revenue Sharing Act revenue. Oddly, in recent news articles
about this transfer, it wasn’t even acknowledged that Protection Island is within Jefferson County.
Ecological and Cultural Significance
Protection Island is a cornerstone of our regional ecosystem. It supports nearly 70 percent of the nesting seabird population in the Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca. Our community,
through the Marine Resources Committee (MRC) and local conservation partners, has invested decades in studying and protecting these intertidal communities and kelp forests. We recognize
that returning this land to its original stewards is a powerful step toward land justice.
The Jefferson County Fiscal "Squeeze"
Our support for this transfer exists alongside a dire financial reality. Jefferson County is currently facing a "budget squeeze" that has forced us into painful service reductions. In
late 2025, we instituted a hiring freeze and travel restrictions to address a projected $5.2 million General Fund shortfall for the 2026 fiscal year.
To achieve a balanced budget, we were forced to:
● Implement 12% cuts across General Fund departments.
● Reduce 10 staff positions, including 3.5 in the Department of Community Development.
● Reduce funding for Public Health and WSU Cooperative Extension.
● Utilize reserves to cover a remaining $1.1 million expense deficit.
Our revenue is severely constrained by the 1% cap on property tax increases, which fails to keep pace with annual inflation rates of 2.5–3%. Simultaneously, we are grappling with skyrocketing
liability risk pool assessments and a dramatic rise in public defense costs due to new state caseload standards.
The Impact of Federal Revenue Loss
Federal funding, including PILT and Revenue Sharing Act revenue, is vital for the infrastructure and public services our residents rely on. PILT payments provide essential compensation
for the inability of local governments to collect property taxes on federally owned land. Any reduction in these federal transfers disproportionately impacts rural, low-income residents
by jeopardizing basic services like disease tracking, vaccination programs, and road maintenance.
When federal land is transferred out of Department of Interior management, even to a Tribal entity in trust, the funding obligation often ceases. For a county already dipping into reserves
just to maintain core government functions, the loss of this reliable revenue stream is a significant blow.
Request for Federal Action
Currently Jefferson County is compensated with just over $26,000 in federal revenue annually for Protection Island. We ask for your leadership in ensuring that this transfer is a success
for both the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and the residents of Jefferson County. We urge you to explore legislative or administrative mechanisms to:
Mitigate Revenue Loss: It sounds like a small amount but in our current budget condition, every dollar counts. Establish a federal bridge or mitigation fund to compensate Jefferson County
for the permanent loss of federal revenue resulting from this specific transfer.
Sustain Community Services: Ensure that the transfer does not result in a net loss of resources for public safety, health, and environmental programs that serve the entire North Quimper
Peninsula.
We also ask that any transfer recognize and preserve any rights of remaining life estates identified in Schedule “B” of the Declaration of Takings Action by the United States filed in
April 1986 by United States District Court under Volume 218 Pages 1-264, records of Jefferson County.
Jefferson County remains a proud partner to our local Tribes and a dedicated steward of our natural environment. We believe that with federal support, we can honor Tribal heritage without
further compromising the essential services our community depends on during this period of extreme fiscal challenge.
Sincerely,
Heidi Eisenhour, Jefferson County Commissioner, District 2
cc: Ron Allen, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chair