As an economic development entity and a land developer, the Port of Kalama has developed considerable economic muscle to the benefit of Cowlitz County as well as the State of Washington. In the State of Washington, the Port supports:
- 1220 full-time direct jobs with over $129 million in payroll
- Beyond Port boundaries, 2156 indirect jobs and 1399 induced jobs, with a combined payroll of $219 million
- Total economic impact: 4775 jobs with over $349 million in payroll and over $3 billion in economic output
- Spencer Creek Business Park’s projected economic impact could mean an additional 727 construction jobs and 907 ongoing jobs over the next 20 years, with an estimated total direct, indirect and induced impact of over 3000 jobs
Companies and employees located here purchase materials, buy lunches and gas, and pay taxes. State and local taxes paid by port located companies exceed $95 million per year.
In 2016, the Port of Kalama Administration paid over $5 million to suppliers, over $2.1 million for staff, and over $355,000 in taxes. All of this enters the economic “circle of life” and supports our community through additional purchasing and supporting those indirect and induced jobs.
The Port is consistently honored with the Pathways 2020 Community Champions Award for Economic Vitality which awards organizations that excel at creating jobs, employee training, employable skills, new or expanding business, transportation, financial security, reducing poverty, and higher wages.
Next up: Discover! Does the Port levy taxes?
