Voters in November will decide whether to approve the largest property tax measure in Seattle's history, approved by the Seattle City Council this week.
Why it matters: The $1.55 billion, eight-year transportation tax levy would repave streets, fix sidewalks, repair bridges, expand bike lines and improve transit connections.
- It would cost the owner of an $800,000 home about $500 a year — or about $18.58 more per month ($223/year) than the expiring levy , according to the City Council .
Driving the news: The nine-member council unanimously approved the levy on Tuesday afternoon and it was signed by Mayor Bruce Harrell Wednesday.
State of play: The current nine-year $930 million levy , which represents roughly 30% of the Seattle Department of Transportation's budget, expires at the end of this year.
- Voters previously approved a $365 million levy in 2006.
- While inflation and higher construction costs contribute to some of the increased spending in the proposed levy, it is also "more ambitious than its predecessors," the Seattle Times reported .
By the numbers: According to the Department of Transportation , about $403 million would go toward street maintenance and modernization and repaving arterial streets.
- $221 million would go toward bridge maintenance, repair and replacement planning and $193 million to improved pedestrian safety, including adding 350 new blocks of sidewalks and doing 34,000 repairs to existing sidewalks.
- $133.5 million for bicycle safety, including new protected bike lanes, bike lane barriers and completion of a gap in the Burke-Gilman Trail.
- $100 million to install and maintain traffic signals and improve mobility and access.
Additionally , $69 million would be invested in climate change solutions, such as increasing the city's tree canopy, and $45 million would go toward improving the freight transportation system, according to the proposal.
What they're saying: "As more and more people choose and rely on walking, biking, and public transit for their commute and other trips, investments in a seamless experience mean less time stuck in congestion," said Alex Hudson, executive director of Commute Seattle, in a written statement .
Context: The proposal is backed by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Disability Rights Washington, MLK Labor, Transportation Choices Coalition, Transportation Choices Coalition, Commute Seattle and more .
The other side: Former City Councilmember Alex Pedersen issued a statement this week that called the proposed levy "unaffordable, unfair, and ineffective," KING 5 reported .
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