Tax increases failing with Mukilteo voters
Published 11:35 pm Tuesday, August 21, 2007
MUKILTEO — Voters in Mukilteo soundly were rejecting two tax increases that would have generated millions of dollars for parks and roads projects.
In Tuesday’s election, Proposition 1 was being defeated with 58 percent voting against and 41.9 voting to approve. For Proposition 2, the tally was even more lopsided with 68.9 percent of voters saying no and 31.1 percent saying yes.
Had the measures passed, the City Council was prepared to spend more than $23 million on projects such as a new trail in Japanese Gulch, a new road to connect Beverly Park Road and Mukilteo Speedway and a trail linking Harbour Heights to several acres of city-owned beachfront.
City Council President Jennifer Gregerson said she was disappointed by the results. Next year, she said, the council will likely begin planning a new, scaled-back tax measure.
“I think it’s clear we brought too many options to the voters, and I think it’s clear that a shorter list would probably be more palatable,” Gregerson said.
Proposition 1 would have generated about $1 million annually. The tax increase would not have expired, city officials said.
The first $12.8 million raised was planned to be spent on projects including building new sidewalks, improving safety and congestion at busy intersections, acquiring land for sports fields and building new trails and pedestrian overpasses.
The other tax measure, Proposition 2, would have generated about $14 million and expired after nine years, city officials said. The city planned to borrow about $10.8 million for beautifying the Rosehill Community Center grounds and extending Harbour Reach from Mukilteo Speedway to Beverly Park Road. The city planned to use the Proposition 2 money to repay the debt from the projects.
Combined, the levies would have cost owners of $350,000 homes about $240 per year for nine years. After Proposition 2 expired, the remaining tax would have been about $101 per year for owners of $350,000 homes.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
