The King County Council unanimously approved legislation Thursday to put the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services property tax proposal on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.
If approved by voters, it would set the levy rate at 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for six years or about $45 per year for a $450,000 home. The proposed rate is twice the current levy rate of 5 cents per $1,000 or about $22.50 per year for a $450,000 home. The current six-year levy expires the end of this year.
The new levy would bring in about $342 million over six years or about $51 million per year
The proceeds would be divided into three shares, with about 50 percent to veterans services, 33 percent to human services and 17 percent to seniors:
• Veterans – To plan, provide, administer and evaluate a wide range of regional health and human services and capital facilities for veterans and military service members and their respective families.
• Seniors and caregivers – To plan, provide, administer and evaluate a wide range of regional health and human services and capital facilities for seniors and their caregivers or to promote healthy aging in King County.
• Vulnerable populations – To plan, provide, administer and evaluate a wide range of regional health and human services and capital facilities for vulnerable populations.
King County Executive Dow Constantine had proposed increasing the rate to 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
“I thank the many veterans, seniors, community members, and advocates who worked so hard on the measure approved by Council to go on the November ballot,” Constantine said in a media release. “After lengthy discussions and review, I presented a package at 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, which I believed met the needs of our region. The council approved a rate of 10 cents, a savings of about 75 cents a month for the average homeowner. That translates into $10 million less each year for enhancing vets employment services, expanding and building new senior centers, and providing legal help for domestic violence survivors.
“As a local government, King County has few tools beyond the property tax to fund vital services. When the Republican-controlled state Senate placed the burden of statewide education funding squarely on King County property owners, they made it harder for King County and local governments across Washington to meet basic needs. This cannot stand. Olympia must fix this unfair tax and replace it with alternatives that are fair, sustainable, and responsible.”
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