SEATTLE — Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka introduced an amendment to increase the proposed transportation levy to $1.55 billion, a $100 million increase to the initial plan announced last month by Mayor Bruce Harrell.
"I'm very mindful of and sensitive to the size and scope of this levy," Saka told KING 5. "But I'm also mindful of the opportunity we have, broadly speaking, to bring truly transformative investments to our broader transportation network."
According to a news release outlining the amendments, Saka's proposed changes would:
- Double the investment in creating new sidewalks in areas that don't have them.
- Double the investment in creating safe routes to schools to keep Seattle's kids safe.
- Triple the funding to increase safety on public transit.
- Add $10 million for new investments in electric vehicle charging stations to address climate change.
- Add $20 million for a freight program to keep Seattle's supply chain and economy moving.
- Add $7 million to the District Project Fund to ensure the unique needs of each council district can be met better and faster.
"We wanted to double down and accelerate our investment in a couple key areas, namely safety for all, taking stronger action on climate, and recognizing the value that freight and cargo mobility have on everyone," said Saka, who chairs the select committee on the transportation levy.
Full details of the new proposal can be found here, including an itemized comparison between Harrell's plan and Saka's additions.
About 60 people signed up for public comment at Tuesday's meeting, the second and final opportunity for voters to address council members.
According to information released by the Seattle City Council, the average homeowner would pay about $500 per year in taxes as part of the levy. That information is based on the median value of a home in Seattle, about $804,000.
"I'm an owner of property, so I'd be paying for this, I'd be voting for it, and I'm all for it," said Dylan Young, one of the residents who spoke at the meeting.
Young has used a wheelchair his entire life and told council members he was nearly hit by a car on his way to the meeting.
"The person was coming kind of quick. It scares you," he said. "If I don't watch out, I could fall once a month."
He said he supports the levy, regardless of the tax burden.
"When it comes to your loved ones, it's not just about you; that's when you get more inspired," Young said before sharing that his aging mother began using a wheelchair, too. "Seeing my mother, who loved to go outside and walk around, struggle... having to curtail where we go because of bad sidewalks, that's what gets me most emotional."
The mayor's initial proposal included a plan for 250 blocks of new sidewalks over a four-year period. Saka said his plan would double the initiative, totaling $63 million in investments.
The city council will continue to discuss the levy in committee meetings before putting it to a vote. If it passes, voters would have the final say in the November election.
The current levy, which was approved in 2015, expired at the end of this year.