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City of Seattle Transportation Property Tax Levy, Proposition No. 1 (November 2015)
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A transportation property tax levy was on the ballot for Seattle voters in King County, Washington, on November 3, 2015. It was approved.
Proposition No. 1, which was also called the "Move Seattle" proposition, authorized the city to replace an expiring property tax levy with a tax designed to collect $930 million over 9 years to be used for transportation improvements and maintenance. The measure was intended to raise $95 million in tax revenue over the first year of the Prop. 1 property tax. The property tax rate required to achieve this revenue was estimated to be $62 per $100,000 of assessed property value. This would not put the city's total property tax rate above the state-set maximum of $360 per $100,000. The measure dictated that the amount of this tax could be adjusted by no more than 10 percent by a regular ordinance of the city council requiring a majority vote. It was written to allow a three-fourths supermajority vote of the city council to adjust it by more than 10 percent.[1]
According to the measure, the revenue from this tax was earmarked to be broken up in the following ways:[1]
- Safe routes: $207 million
- Congestion relief: $303 million
- Maintenance and repair: $420 million
Proposition No. 1 increased the city's property tax by more than 1 percent over the maximum the city could have received in any of the three previous years. This is prohibited by state law unless the revenue increase is explicitly authorized by the voters. The approval of Proposition No. 1 authorized this increase.[1]
Election results
| Seattle, Proposition No. 1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 109,637 | 58.67% | ||
| No | 77,222 | 41.33% | ||
- Election results from King County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
The City of Seattle’s Proposition 1 concerns replacement funding for citywide transportation maintenance and improvements. If approved, this proposition would replace an expiring levy and would fund bridge seismic upgrades, transit corridor and light rail access projects, pedestrian and bicycle safety projects, synchronized traffic signals, street maintenance and repair, freight projects, and neighborhood street projects. It authorizes regular property tax collections, above RCW 84.55 limits, of $95,000,000 in 2016 and $930,000,000 over nine years. The 2016 total regular tax limit would remain $3.60/$1,000 of assessed value, including approximately $0.62/$1,000 of assessed value in additional taxes. Should this levy be approved?[2] |
” |
Explanatory statement
The following explanation of Proposition No. 1 appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
Seattle Proposition 1 replaces an expiring transportation levy and funds safety, congestion relief, and maintenance and repair projects, such as bridge seismic upgrades, transit corridor and light rail access projects, pedestrian and bicycle safety projects, synchronized traffic signals, freight projects, and neighborhood street projects. Proposition 1 raises a maximum of $930 million over 9 years, spendable on three program categories: Safe Routes ($207 million); Congestion Relief ($303 million); and Maintenance and Repair ($420 million). Each category’s expenditure amount may be changed by no more than 10% by ordinance, after a Levy Oversight Committee has had an opportunity to comment. These amounts may change by more than 10% if approved by a 3/4 vote of the City Council. These categories and other details about the levy are described further in Ordinance 124796, included in this pamphlet. In addition to expenditures using Proposition 1 revenues, the City of Seattle will appropriate at least $40 million (adjusted by inflation) annually using General Subfund revenues for transportation purposes. Revised Code of Washington chapter 84.55 limits annual property tax revenue increases to 1% over the highest amount that the City could have received in one of the three most recent years. This limit can be exceeded if approved by a simple majority of the voters. Proposition 1 authorizes the City to exceed these limits to collect no more than the $930 million referenced above. In 2016, the first year of collection, no more than $95 million will be raised. The additional tax rate associated with the Proposition 1 increase for each property owner would be approximately $0.62 per $1,000 of assessed value. The City’s total regular property tax rate would not exceed the state law rate limit of $3.60 per $1,000 of assessed value. Taxes levied in 2023 for collection in 2024, and later tax levies, would be calculated as if Proposition 1 had not been passed.[2] |
” |
Support
Supporters
Let's Move Seattle was formed to campaign in favor of Proposition No. 1.[3]
The following individuals signed the official argument in favor of this measure:[1]
- Ed Murray
- Pramila Jayapal
- Jessyn Farrell
Arguments in favor
Official arguments
The following argument in favor of Proposition No. 1 was submitted for inclusion on the ballot:
| “ |
Creating a Transportation System That Works for All As Seattle grows, our transportation system must keep pace. That means creating an integrated, more effective system to move people and goods by transit, bike, foot, car and truck quickly and safely. The nine-year Let’s Move Seattle levy replaces the expiring Bridging the Gap levy by prioritizing required maintenance while investing in new transit projects and safety improvements in every neighborhood. Transit and Traffic Improvements to Relieve Congestion With rapid growth, we need to modernize our transportation network to provide more choices and relieve congestion in every neighborhood. The levy:
Taking Care of What We Have The Let’s Move Seattle levy prioritizes basic maintenance by:
Safer Streets as the Core Value To improve safety and reduce traffic fatalities from 20 per year to zero, the Let’s Move Seattle levy funds:
Affordable and Accountable Let’s Move Seattle replaces an expiring levy and will cost the typical homeowner about $12 more per month. The City will apply an equity analysis to all major projects and a citizen oversight committee will ensure accountability. Broad Support The levy has unanimous support from Mayor Ed Murray and the City Council and is endorsed by neighborhood leaders and respected organizations including: Transportation Choices Coalition, OneAmerica Votes, Futurewise, Puget Sound Sage, Seattle Building & Construction Trades Council, Feet First, Downtown Seattle Association, Greater Seattle Chamber, Cascade Bicycle Club, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and more! Vote Yes on Proposition 1.[2] |
” |
| —Ed Murray, Pramila Jayapal and Jessyn Farrell[1] | ||
Opposition
Opponents
Keep Seattle Affordable was formed to campaign in opposition to Proposition No. 1.[4]
The following individuals submitted and signed the official argument in opposition to this measure:[1]
- Faye Garneau
- Moussa Samb
- Gene Hoglund
Arguments against
Official arguments
The following argument in opposition to Proposition No. 1 was submitted for inclusion on the ballot:
| “ |
PROPOSITION 1 IS A 58% INCREASE OVER OUR LAST TRANSPORTATION LEVY Seattle is becoming unaffordable for everybody. Skyrocketing property taxes harm retired people trying to stay in the homes they’ve lived in their entire lives. Higher property taxes harm young families working to keep their heads above water and, yes, higher property taxes translate into higher rents for those of us that rent. NO NEIGHBORHOOD INVOLVEMENT IN CRAFTING PROPOSITION 1 This almost $1 billion “plan” was thrown together in haste without input from the neighborhoods. Neighborhoods were treated to ‘presentations’ but no real world knowledge from folks who use our transportation system and know what is needed was included. The Magnolia Bridge has been studied three times already, is dropping chunks of concrete on the sidewalk below but this Levy will ‘study’ it again – not rebuild it. In Wallingford, the proposed cycle tracks would not extend to Stone Way North where a majority of cyclists would actually ride. And in north Seattle neighborhoods that have never had sidewalks – none will be built. We need an honest and transparent cost-benefit analysis and neighborhood input to get value and a truly integrated plan that takes us into the next century. Let’s work with our new District Councilmembers and create transportation solutions that work for all. SEATTLE’S CURRENT TRANSPORTATION BUDGET HAS $429 MILLION TO SPEND We have a healthy transportation budget already – why another levy? Levies are for special projects, not for basic needs that should be covered in the City budget. This levy is an open checkbook with many projects listed but few required to actually be done. The previous levy, Bridging the Gap, specifically prohibited levy money on the Seawall and Tunnel projects. This levy has no such prohibition. It is a list of vague categories. Let’s plan a list of Seattle transportation priorities with our new District Councilmembers with specific projects we can afford. KEEP SEATTLE AFFORDABLE VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 1 If passed, Proposition 1 would be on your tax bill in 2016. Along with the new metro parks district levy the City portion of your property taxes would go up 36%. Homeowners and renters face exploding City levy amounts. The amount we’re paying for ‘special levies’ will surpass our support for schools. Next year multi-billion dollar bond issues and levies will hit the ballot as well. Let’s keep Seattle an economically diverse city – Vote No on Proposition 1.[2] |
” |
| —Faye Garneau, Moussa Samb and Gene Hoglund[1] | ||
Editorials
- The Seattle Times editorial board endorsed a "no" vote on Proposition No. 1 in an article called "Seattle voters deserve a better deal than the one proposed by the Move Seattle levy."[5]
Path to the ballot
Mayor Ed Murray introduced the Move Seattle proposition in March 2015. On June 23, the city council voted on amendments to Murray's original proposal. One of the key amendments proposed by Council Member Nick Licata would have reduced the proposed transportation by $100 million to $830 million. Licata argued that the property tax levy should be $600 million over 9 years and suggested providing another $230 million through higher parking taxes and a tax on employers based on how many employees they had. Licata's amendment was rejected 7-2; Council Member Kshama Sawant was the other council member besides Licata to vote for the reduced proposal. On June 29, 2015, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to put Proposition No. 1 on the ballot.[6][7]
Other elections
See also
- Seattle, Washington municipal elections, 2015
- Local property tax on the ballot
- Seattle, Washington
- King County, Washington ballot measures
- November 3, 2015 ballot measures in Washington
External links
Support
Opposition
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 King County Elections, "November 3, 2015 General And Special Election, City of Seattle, Proposition No. 1," accessed October 5, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Let's Move Seattle, "Home," accessed October 7, 2015
- ↑ Keep Seattle Affordable, "Home," accessed October 7, 2015
- ↑ Seattle Times, "Seattle voters deserve a better deal than the one proposed by the Move Seattle levy," September 25, 2015
- ↑ Seattle City Government, "Transportation Levy to Move Seattle," accessed October 8, 2015
- ↑ Seattle Times, "Property owners will bear the cost of the Move Seattle transportation package if it wins this fall, City Council members decided." June 23, 2015
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