EVERETT — A countywide hike of up to $20 a year in the car tab fee would help bankroll small road projects inside cities throughout Snohomish County.
Some city mayors and public works officials at a meeting Wednesday told the County Council that the money is desperately needed for local paving and repair projects.
The County Council has until May 22 to form a transportation district and impose the fee with agreement from a majority of cities in the county.
“Sultan is in financial distress,” Mayor Carolyn Eslick said. “Our streets are in desperate need of repairs.”
The same is true in Mountlake Terrace, Mayor Jerry Smith said.
“We are an older city, and we’ve got a lot of infrastructure as far as overpasses over I-5 that we need to get repaired, too,” Smith said. “If we levy this tax, how are we assured to get it back if we give it all to the county? Are we better off to stay in and fight for our own?”
About $12 million might be raised, and up to $130 million is possible if the county opts to borrow money against future tax collections.
Neither Eslick nor Smith wanted to seek voter approval for $2 billion in regional road projects, an idea that died at the ballot box in November. That opened the door for counties to form their own transportation districts and hike car tab fees up to $20 without seeking voter approval.
Counties also can ask voters to approve even higher car tab fee hikes, up to $100, and higher sales and property taxes.
The cities’ focus on their own projects likely will steer the County Council away from pushing a countywide car tab increase, despite interest from many cities to get the revenue, County Councilman Mike Cooper said.
The taxing option was meant to foster regional cooperation, Cooper said.
Instead, starting May 23, city councils can choose to impose the car tab fee increase themselves if they want to keep the money for local projects, he said.
“I think we got a pretty clear message that’s the priority,” at least of cities at the County Council meeting Wednesday, Cooper said.
If each city wants their piece of the pie, “that just means we can’t do big regional projects,” Cooper said. “We have to look at those feelings and see if there’s any value in moving ahead with a countywide transportation benefit district.”
More discussions are planned, and the County Council will decide whether to draft an ordinance creating a transportation district, Cooper said.
Someday, a broader regional effort is possible and should be pursued, Cooper said. It’s just not clear when.
Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.
Ways to fund roads
Vehicle license fee: $20 a year (no public vote required)
Commercial and industrial impact fee: No public vote required
Sales taxes: Up to 0.2 percent sales tax for 10 years, or 2 cents on a $10 purchase
Property taxes: 5 cents to 13 cents per $1,000 of assessed value
Vehicle license fee: Up to $100 a year
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