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The Swinomish Tax Authority uses the same levy rate for 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021: $11.98 per $1,000. The assessed value of homes in Shelter Bay, Pull & Be Damned and Thousand Trails increased from $206,399,050 to $262,085,926. The Swinomish Tribal Community has the right to collect $3,139,456 in taxes from Shelter Bay, Pull & Be Damned and Thousand Trails in 2024. Last year they collected $2,440,832. After deducting contributions, exemptions, uncollectable taxes and taxes shared with the county, the Tribe will have an estimated $1,958,197 left.

Three taxing districts will receive contributions from the Swinomish. These are: Fire District 13 at $500,000. The La Conner-Swinomish Library gets $70,000. The La Conner School District is scheduled to receive $540,000. The three taxing districts should deduct the amount of the contribution from their levy requests, but there is no evidence that they do so. They will receive the tax shift plus the tribal contribution.

The Tribe does not contribute to the debt service for the bond that built the middle school. About 34% of the students are Native American, so if the Tribe were to contribute their share of the $1,355,414 debt service, they would contribute $460,841. The residents of the Village voted for the bond.

The Tribe does not contribute to the EMS levy. Shelter Bay, Pull & Be Damned, Thousand Trails and the Swinomish Village get this service for free, along with roads and county general.

Skagit County lets the Tribe get away with $665,017 of services that it should pay for but does not.

It’s all part of a plan called “tax shift.” It started back in 2015 with the Great Wolf ­decision.