Seattle voters continue lifting sales tax to among nation's highest
(The Center Square) - Seattle voters approved the city’s latest levy on Tuesday, with 72.6% backing a proposal to double the transit sales tax rate, costing another $29 annually for a two-person household. King County is processing the remaining votes , but the levy is anticipated to pass and would increase the city’s transit sales tax rate from 0.15% to 0.3%. The current rate expires in 2027, and city officials say the 10-year renewal will raise $138 million annually, doubling the cost for a median two-person household to $58 . The levy would lift Seattle’s sales tax rate to 10.8% in 2027, continuing the trend of the city having among the highest sales tax rate nationwide. "This measure will deliver the largest expansion of transit service in our city's history, double the low-income transit passes available to Seattleites, and provide resources for faster and more reliable service.” Mayor Katie Wilson said in a statement Tuesday night. “Together, these investments make transit, our most affordable and sustainable transportation option, an even more irresistible choice.” Charles Prestrud, director of transportation policy at the Washington Policy Center, disagrees. He said his analysis — dividing the $138 million by the city’s 393,135 households —
