Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Technology & Economic Development Committee

HJM 4012

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requests Congress to reform the Harbor Maintenance Tax to (1) ensure that U.S. tax policy does not disadvantage U.S. ports and maritime cargo, and (2) provide greater equity to HMT donor ports through expanded uses of the HMT revenues.

Background:

The Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) was created by Congress to support the cost of harbor maintenance activities at maritime ports. The HMT is imposed at a rate of 0.125 percent of the value of cargo shipped or cruise tickets sold. Revenues from the HMT are deposited into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which provides funding to the United States (U.S.) Army Corps of Engineers for harbor maintenance activities such as dredging.

U.S. bound goods shipped through a Canadian or Mexican port that arrive in the U.S. via truck or rail are not subject to the HMT. A 2012 report by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) studied the movement of containerized cargo through Canadian and Mexican seaports to investigate the possible diversion of cargo away from U.S. west coast ports due to the HMT. The report estimated that up to 26.7 percent of container volume for the U.S. west coast ports of Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland was at risk of being diverted to Canadian ports. The FMC report further found that up to half of the U.S. bound containers coming into Canada's west coast ports could revert to using U.S. west coast ports if U.S. importers were relieved from paying the HMT.

Summary of Bill:

The Joint Memorial contains a series of findings, including:

the ability to avoid paying the HMT by shipping cargo to the U.S. via rails or roads from Canadian ports provides an incentive to divert cargo away from U.S. ports;
up to half of U.S. bound containers traveling to Canada's west coast ports could revert to using U.S. west coast ports if U.S. importers were relieved from paying the HMT;
HMT revenue supports dredging at east coast and Gulf ports;
deep water ports on the west coast require little or no dredging;
U.S. west coast ports face increasing competition for maritime goods bound for the U.S.; and
Washington ports are ready to compete on a level playing field to efficiently move goods to market.

The Legislature requests that Congress pass and the President sign legislation reforming the HMT. The reforms should ensure U.S. tax policy does not disadvantage U.S. ports and maritime cargo and provide greater equity for HMT donor ports through expanded use of HMT revenues.