Title
A MOTION relating to a property tax levy for 2022 through 2027 for the purpose of providing for the safety, preservation, maintenance and operations of King County's road system.
Body
WHEREAS, the county is responsible for approximately 1,500 miles of roads, 182 bridges, 3.4 million linear feet of drainage pipe, over 28,000 culverts, 718 crosswalks and 275 miles of sidewalk in the county's unincorporated areas outside of cities, and
WHEREAS, unincorporated King County roads support more than 1 million trips every day, including people traveling to work, school and recreation, businesses, farmers delivering goods and services and emergency responders reaching people who need assistance, and
WHEREAS, the county's road services division designs, builds, operates and maintains roads, bridges and related road infrastructure to facilitate the movement of goods, services and people through unincorporated King County, and
WHEREAS, the county is experiencing a roads funding crisis due to the impacts of municipal annexations, the 2008 recession, limited gas tax revenues, the effects of voter initiatives, the lack of significant sales and commercial tax revenue from unincorporated areas and an aging bridge and road system. The lack of revenue is significantly impacting the county's capacity to maintain, improve and replace aging and failed components of the bridge and road system, and
WHEREAS, for the benefit of all King County residents, in June 2021, Proposed Ordinance 2021-0206 was introduced, which would submit to the qualified electors of unincorporated King County a property tax levy on a November 2021 special election ballot for the purpose of preserving, maintaining and operating King County's road system, and
WHEREAS, if such a measure is placed on the November 2021 ballot and the voters approve the measure, it is possible, but not certain that junior taxing districts like Vashon hospital and Vashon cemetery district may lose revenues due to the limitations on property taxation imposed by RCW 52.16.160 and the Washington State Constitution, and
WHEREAS, the King County Council finds that any reduction in Vashon hospital district staff or services and Vashon cemetery district staff and services resulting from the property tax levy would be contrary to the public interest, and
WHEREAS, according to RCW 39.67 .020, "Any taxing district other than the state may transfer funds to another taxing district other than the state where the regular property tax levy rate of the second district may affect the regular property tax levy rate of the first district and where such transfer is part of an agreement whereby proration or reduction of property taxes is lessened or avoided," and
WHEREAS, King County wants to protect the Vashon hospital district and Vashon cemetery district from the results of prorationing solely due to the imposition of the property levy;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. It is the intent of the council that the incremental increase in levy proceeds be allocated to the following high priority road and bridge needs:
1. Maintaining 2019 through 2020 levels of core countywide safety and preservation programs;
2. Preserving core countywide operations and maintenance programs;
3. Performing emergency repairs as necessary to keep roads and bridges open and functional for the travelling public;
4. Implementing pavement preservation projects;
5. Conducting bridge replacement and intersection safety projects;
6. Implementing bridge load upgrade program projects; and
7. Providing local matching funds to leverage grant opportunities.
B. It is the intent of the council that the priorities listed in section A of this motion be used to guide allocation of the incremental increase in funds to the road services division's capital and operating programs.
C. It is the intent of the council that any junior taxing district, such as the Vashon district hospital and Vashon cemetery district, that loses revenues resulting from pro-rationing as mandated by RCW 84.52.010, to the extent the prorationing was caused
solely by the property tax levy and if authorized by the county council by ordinance, be made whole.