Tacoma Pierce-County Chamber

Tacoma Pierce-County Chamber - Alleged violation of RCW 42.17A.255, unreported Independent Expenditures; and RCW 42.17A.205, .235, and .240, unreported PAC activities (December 2016)

Case Details

Case Number

11703

Respondent

Tacoma Pierce-County Chamber

Complainant

Arthur West

Date Opened

January 05, 2017

Case Status

Dismissed by Commission

Commission or presiding officer dismissed allegations.

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Area(s) of Law*

  • RCW 29B.25.090/42.17A.235
  • RCW 29B.25.100/42.17A.240
  • RCW 29B.45.010/42.17A.555
  • RCW 29B.25.020/42.17A.205
  • RCW 29B.25.120/42.17A.255

*On January 1, 2026, RCW 42.17A was recodified to RCW 29B

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Description

The complaint is a 45-Day Citizen Action Complaint filed by Arthur West, alleging that the Port of Tacoma (including John Wolfe, CEO, and Commissioners Don Johnson, Connie Bacon, Dick Marzano, Don Meyer, and Clare Petrich) violated RCW 42.17A.555 by using the Port's facilities to oppose Tacoma Citizen's Initiatives 5 and 6.  The complaint alleges that these Port officials engaged in a previously unknown media communications and public relations "Campaign" that was in addition to and separate from a lawsuit initiated by the Port, the Economic Development Board of Tacoma-Pierce County and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber on June 6, 2016 to request a declaratory judgment in Pierce County Superior Court to determine whether the two initiatives exceeded the scope of local initiative power. 

 

The complaint also alleged that Port officials , the Economic Development Board of Tacoma-Pierce County, and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber violated RCW 42.17A.255 by failing to report these media communications and public relations "Campaign" expenditures as Independent Expenditures on PDC form C-6, and RCW 42.17A.205, .235, and .240 by failing to register and report these expenditures as a political committee.

Documents

Penalties

None