Proposition 1 focuses on renewal and expansion of property tax levy

Published 10:30 am Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Among a number of candidates and issues that King County voters will be asked to decide on in November, Proposition 1 will ask residents if they want to renew and expand a property tax levy.

The levy was originally approved by voters in 2005 and leveled a 5 cent per $1,000 of assessed property value tax on landowners for six years. It was renewed in 2011.

The money is currently used by the county to fund a variety of services, including services for veterans and vulnerable populations.

If approved, Prop. 1 would double the amount of money the levy collects, bringing it up to 10 cents per $1,000.

Ross Cohen is the campaign manager for Prop. 1, and a retired U.S. Army paratrooper, and said it would raise around $350 million to fund programs serving some of the communities in the county that need it the most.

“A whole host of services, really,” he said.

Since the initial levy was passed, it has funded the creation of 2,000 units for veterans and vulnerable families, and emergency shelter to thousands more, county documents said. It has also expanded mental health and addictions services.

Programs like providing social stability to people suffering from trauma, violence, poverty, racism and other qualifiers are also included.

These include funding for the El Centro de le Raza in its mission to identify homeless veterans and connect them with services.

Other programs like Youth Eastside Services and the Renton Area Youth and Family Services, which help support young people through health and counseling programs, among others.

Cohen said the reason the levy is doubling is because, if approved, services that support seniors and their caregivers would also be included.

Seniors are the fastest growing population in the county, which could pose problems for providing adequate services in coming years, Cohen said.

“It’s really important than we get ahead of the problem,” he said.

If senior services were added to the roster, the funding would be divided between veterans, seniors and vulnerable populations with roughly equal thirds.

A certain portion of the senior funding would also be required to be spent on seniors who are veterans.

If Prop. 1 fails, all the existing programs that receive funding will be cut off from county funding at the start of the new year.

“There is no kind of backup plan if it doesn’t pass,” Cohen said.

The two main programs serving veterans and the vulnerable are overseen by separate citizen councils. If Prop. 1 passes, a third council will be created to specifically monitor funding allocation for seniors, Cohen said.

These councils hold various public meetings each year to try and keep the public informed.

“This is an extraordinarily transparent and accountable levy and has extraordinary accountability mechanisms built into it,” Cohen said.

Other items on the ballot will include a vote the county executive position. Incumbent Dow Constantine received 75 percent of the votes in the primary with his challenger Bill Hirt coming in a distant second.

Current Sheriff John Urquhart is running to defend his position against challenger Mitzi Johanknecht.

The election comes as Urquhart has been accused of burying a rape accusation against him.

While agencies investigating the event were skeptical of the claims, they also noted Urquhart’s office failed to handle a complaint related to the incident with an independent investigation. An outside investigation by the FBI resulted in no charges regarding the initial rape allegation, according to the Seattle Weekly.

In the Washington state House of Representatives race, Democrat Vandana Slatter will be facing off against Ciaran Dougherty in the 48th District.

Incumbent Democrat Patty Kuderer is running against Libertarian Michelle Darnell for a 48th district state Senate seat.

Republican Jinyoung Lee Englund is running against Democrat Manka Dhingra for a 45th district Senate seat.

This race in particular is attracting attention statewide. If Dhingra wins, it will end the Republican majority in the Senate, where the party currently holds a one-vote majority. Democrats control the state House and Gov. Jay Inslee is also one.

Positions 2, 4 and 6 on the Redmond City Council are also competitive elections.

The date for ballots to be mailed is Oct. 18, with drop boxes opening the following day.

Voters can return their ballots until election day on Nov. 7.