(The Center Square) – Tacoma city leaders are set to vote on how revenue from a proposed transportation ballot measure would be utilized, with the majority of funding expected to go toward the city’s busiest roads.
On Tuesday night, the Tacoma City Council is set to approve expenditure targets for the proposed ballot measure, contingent upon its passage by voters.
On April 22, Tacoma voters will decide whether to approve an increase in their property taxes to fund transportation needs. The ballot measure would increase the city’s property tax by 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for a maximum levy rate of $1.95 in 2026.
An average Tacoma property owner can expect to pay $72 per year in property taxes toward the levy, assuming voters give it the green light. The city would collect approximately $25 million in its first year.
The measure would also authorize a 2% increase in utility earnings tax that would cost a homeowner $20 more per year.
This new measure would replace the current levy which is set to expire at the end of 2025. The current levy is set to generate a total of $397 million over its 10-year life span.
Proposition 1 is supplemented by a 0.10% sales and use tax that was previously approved by the Transportation Benefit District last December.
Targeted expenditures as part of the proposed ordinance include 60% of funds directed toward the improvement of roadways that see high volumes of traffic; 26% for transportation enhancements, including pedestrian pathways, transit corridors, and bicycle-friendly infrastructure; 11% dedicated to maintaining neighborhood streets; and 3% allocated to cover management expenses related to the initiative.
The ordinance would also direct Tacoma’s public works department to submit a report to the city council on an annual basis that checks on progress toward the measure’s expenditure targets.
The goal of the annual reports is to “significantly improve” Tacoma’s transportation infrastructure over a 15-year period to ensure the plan for long-term funding on transportation infrastructure projects is effectively executed.
