COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                Item No.       7c 
BRIEFING ITEM                   Date of Meeting    October 25, 2016 
DATE:    September 28, 2016 
TO:     Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:   Elizabeth Morrison, Director Corporate Finance 
SUBJECT:  Briefing on the Preliminary Tax Levy and the Draft Plan of Finance 2017-2021 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
This briefing is intended to inform the Commission's decision on the amount of the tax levy for
the 2017 budget year and to inform the Commission on the Port's ability to fund its capital
program. 
BACKGROUND 
Ports in Washington State have authority to levy taxes on property within the port district
within certain statutory limits; the Port may use this strategic resource for any allowable port
purpose (other than the payment of revenue bonds). As part of the Port's budget process, the
Commission establishes the amount of taxes to be levied within the Port district for the budget
year. Staff will provide information on the forecasted uses of the tax levy and will seek
Commission guidance on the establishment of the 2017 tax levy amount and modifications to
forecasting assumptions. 
On October 10, the operating divisions presented their operating budgets and their Capital
Improvement Programs (CIPs), collectively the Port's CIP. As part of the annual budget process,
staff provides a funding plan for the Port's CIP. This funding plan  The Draft Plan of Finance  
is updated each year for the subsequent five-year CIP and provides information on the funding
sources available to support the CIP. The Draft Plan of Finance is intended to illustrate the
Port's capacity to fund projects based on the projected available resources and may result in a
recommendation to adjust project spending and/or adjust the tax levy. Staff will seek
Commission guidance on any recommended adjustments.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
(1)   Presentation slides  Preliminary Tax Levy and Draft Plan of Finance 2017-2021 


Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Briefing Item No. 7c                       Page 2 of 2 
Meeting Date: October 25, 2016 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
October 10, 2016 - 2017 Operating Division Budgets Briefing 
September 27, 2016  2017 Corporate Budget Briefing 
September 13, 2016  2017 Budget Overview Briefing 
August 19, 2016  Provided briefing document regarding key budget assumptions for 
2017 
July 26, 2016  Long-Range Plan Update, Century Agenda Dashboard Overview, and
Budget Considerations beyond the Long-Range Plan. 
June 14, 2016  Strategic Positioning for Growth Budgeting Initiative. 














Template revised September 22, 2016.