Port: Bureaucrats should not take legal action

Re: "Port of Tacoma, business groups sue to stop ballot measures on water," (TNT, 6/7). As one of those who pays taxes to the Port of Tacoma, I object to an employee having the authority to file lawsuits that may incur liability that has to be paid by taxpayers. At least if done by Port commissioners, the voters can cast votes to oust them from office.

Government agencies with the power to tax should be governed by people who are answerable to the public, and employees should not have the right to commit the taxpayer to endless costs through lawsuits. Obviously the current Port commissioners are more interested in rubber stamping their hired manager than receiving taxpayer opinion in an orderly manner before filing a lawsuit in the name of the taxpayers who foot the bill.

The port may collect a lot of money apart from the taxes but the fact is that they still look to taxpayers for money every year. If they want to be independent, form a corporation and buy out the taxpayers for full value.

This story was originally published June 20, 2016 at 9:41 AM with the headline "Port: Bureaucrats should not take legal action."