The Kent City Council appointed five residents for two committees to write pro and con statements about the property tax levy measure for the Nov. 6 Voters Pamphlet.
The council named Mark Prothero, Ken Sharp and Gina Tallarigo to the pro committee to write arguments advocating approval of the six-year property tax increase to repair city parks and streets.
The council appointed Michelle McDowell and Christine Budell as members of the committee against the ballot measure.
Councilwoman Jamie Perry recused herself from voting on the appointments because of a possible conflict of interest since McDowell is her mother.
Residents applied to the city to be selected to the committees. State law requires the council to make the appointments and submit the names to the King County Elections Office.
The council voted 4-3 on July 31 to send a six-year property tax levy increase to voters on the Nov. 6 ballot. The increase of 37 cents per $1,000 assessed property value would cost the owner of a $350,000 home about $111 per year.
The levy would raise about $29 million over six years, $18.3 million for parks and $10.7 million for streets as 23 cents per $1,000 would go to parks each year and 14 cents per $1,000 to streets. The levy would expire after six years. The measure will require a simple majority for approval.
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