The Seattle City Council has unanimously approved a 30-year, $290 million levy to replace the city’s aging Seawall, and will ask voters once more in November to raise their property taxes.
It’s the second part of a one-two punch, since King County is going to the voters in the August 7 primary to give thumbs up to a nine-year $210 million property tax levy to replace the county’s aging Youth Services Center.
Seattle, in particular, has shown almost unbroken generosity when hit with such requests
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The Seattle City Council has unanimously approved a 30-year, $290 million levy to replace the city’s aging Seawall, and will ask voters once more in November to raise their property taxes.
It’s the second part of a one-two punch, since King County is going to the voters in the August 7 primary to give thumbs up to a nine-year $210 million property tax levy to replace the county’s aging Youth Services Center.
Seattle, in particular, has shown almost unbroken generosity when hit with such requests from its city fathers (and mothers), rejecting only the $80 car tab fee proposed in last November’s election.
At the same time, however, Seattle voters approved a $231 million Families and Education Levy, on top of the operations and maintenance levies they regularly ratify. It was a whopping 99 percent increase from the $116 million levy approved in 2004, which was a 68 percent increase over the $69 million levy approved in 1997.
Jean Godden.
The Seawall measure was backed up Monday by the customary assertions of absolute necessity.
“The Seawall project is the foundation of Seattle’s future waterfront,” said Seattle City Councilwoman Jean Godden.
Councilman Tom Rasmussen, chairman of the Transportation Committee, added: “Seawall replacement is necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the viaduct.”
Such arguments have worked in the past. A flurry of “Fix This Street” signs went up in 2006 to support the nine-year, $365 million Bridging the Gap levy, which was supposed to repair the city’s aging transportation infrastructure. (Numerous streets on which these signs appeared have yet to be fixed.)
The city went back to the voters in 2008, not only with a sales tax hike to pay for expanding Sound Transit light rail service across Lake Washington, but a $146 million Parks and Recreation Levy and a $73 million Pike Place Market levy. All passed.
Bike riding “green” Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn
The Seawall repair was at first advanced by Mayor Mike McGinn in the spring of 2009. Hizzoner set a pattern by not briefing the City Council in advance of his plans, and the council has taken its time. It’s now submitting the bill.