County Funding Up for Floor Vote Today

Legislation that would give counties more spending flexibility and new revenue sources to pay for human services and transit is expected to come up for a floor vote in the state senate today. The bill, sponsored by Debbie Regala (D-TK) in the senate and Ross Hunter (D-48)—a potential candidate for King County Executive—in the house—would:

•Allow counties to impose a utility tax of up to 6 percent in their unincorporated areas (currently, only residents of incorporated cities pay utility taxes), with natural gas exempted and electricity taxes limited to 1 percent;

•Give King County greater flexibility in spending the proceeds from its mental-health/chemical dependency and public safety levies (which can currently only fund new programs, not help sustain existing ones, such as drug court);

•Authorize a 7.5 cent/$1000 property tax levy to pay for transit.

•Mandate that cities in King County move forward with annexation of areas with 4,000 residents or more (like White Center) by 2014; and

•Mandate a state performance audit on King County by 2011.

King County is facing a budget shortfall between $40 and $50 million next year. Meanwhile, Metro foresees a shortfall of around $100 million. King County Council chair (and KC Exec candidate) Dow Constantine estimates that a 7.5 cent property tax could raise up to $25 million for Metro; combined with $25 million from the federal stimulus, that would get Metro just halfway to its goal. “We have to take a hard look a the choice between further raising property taxes and cutting transit service,” Constantine says. Economically, “it’s not a very good time to be raising people’s property taxes,” he adds.