Stanwood asks voters to renew 0.2% sales tax

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 20, 2022

STANWOOD — Stanwood voters will decide in November whether to renew a 10-year sales tax to fund transportation projects.

The 0.2% sales tax generates about $550,000 a year to improve streets and sidewalks. Voters first approved it in 2013.

The tax, which amounts to an extra 2 cents per $10, requires voter renewal every 10 years. The Stanwood City Council voted unanimously last week to put the measure on the November ballot.

The city has used $3.6 million in tax revenue for more than a dozen pavement preservation projects; six sidewalk and Americans with Disabilities Act improvement projects; and LED lighting upgrades, according to a city news release.

The city has also used about $2.1 million for matching funds for state and federal grants, including for Safe Routes to Schools and pavement overlay projects. Projects have created more than 5 miles of new or resurfaced roads, about a half-mile of new sidewalks and 153 ADA-compliant ramp upgrades, according to the city.

The city is seeking volunteers to write “for” and “against” statements for the voter’s pamphlet. The deadline to apply is 3 p.m. July 29. Applications can be found at the city’s website and should be emailed to city.clerk@stanwoodwa.org.