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Tumwater council backs resolution supporting renewal of 0.2% transportation sales tax on April 22 ballot
Summary
At its March 18 meeting the Tumwater City Council unanimously adopted Resolution R2025-005 supporting Proposition 1, a renewal of the existing 0.2% Transportation Benefit District sales tax that would fund street and sidewalk maintenance if approved by voters on April 22, 2025.
TUMWATER, Wash. — On March 18, 2025, the Tumwater City Council unanimously approved Resolution R2025-005, a formal statement in support of Proposition 1, a ballot measure to renew the city’s 0.2% Transportation Benefit District (TBD) sales tax.
The resolution, moved by Council member Swarthout and seconded by Council member Dalhoff, records the council’s endorsement of placing the renewal before voters in a special election on April 22, 2025. Brandon Hicks, the city’s transportation and engineering director, said the renewal would continue an existing tax and estimated that “the TBD sales tax is estimated to generate over $30,000,000 for street and sidewalk maintenance over the next 10 years.”
Why it matters: The tax is a renewal, not a new levy, and has funded routine and capital street work in Tumwater since its initial adoption. Supporters told the council the tax stretches local dollars through grants and preserves public-safety access for emergency vehicles.
Brandon Hicks, Transportation and Engineering Director, described the item as "the specific purpose of this agenda item is to consider resolution number R2025-005 in support of the Tumwater Transportation Benefit District proposition 1." He added that the resolution is a council statement supporting placement of the renewal on the ballot.
Council members who spoke framed the renewal as continuation of an established program. Council member Angela Jefferson said, "I strongly support this transportation benefit district because we need to maintain our streets and sidewalks," and recounted recent pothole damage that was remedied quickly. Council member Lietta Dalhoff noted the tax is not new and credited the existing revenue with paving more than a hundred lane miles and attracting “over $6,000,000 in grants to stretch local funds.” Council member Michael Althouser emphasized public-safety benefits, saying well-maintained streets help emergency responders. Council member Kelly Vonholtz, who previously worked for a state Department of Transportation, said maintenance funding is essential and reiterated support.
Public input: The council opened a public hearing but no members of the public signed up to speak on the proposition and no online comments were recorded during the hearing.
Formal action: Council member Swarthout moved to adopt Resolution R2025-005 in support of Proposition 1; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously by voice vote.
Context and next steps: If voters approve Proposition 1 on April 22, the existing 0.2% TBD sales tax would continue for the next 10 years and — according to the estimate presented to the council — could generate more than $30 million to be used only for city street and sidewalk maintenance. The resolution itself does not change tax law; it records the council’s support for placing the renewal on the ballot.
