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Sumner holds public hearing on assuming Transportation Benefit District board; no tax vote tonight
Summary
Council opened a hearing Aug. 4 on assuming leadership of the Transportation Benefit District (TBD); city administrator said the hearing would not impose a TBD sales tax tonight and that any funding measure will be considered at a September meeting; one resident urged delay and deeper outreach.
Sumner city officials opened a public hearing Aug. 4 on whether the City Council should assume the leadership role for the Transportation Benefit District (TBD), a governance step that would allow the council to act as the TBD board. City Administrator Jason Wilson told the council the hearing was about “assumption” of the board and that it did not impose any sales tax.
“This hearing does not impose a transportation benefit district sales tax,” Jason Wilson said, describing assumption as an administrative change that makes TBD business decisions part of regular council meetings rather than a separate board meeting. Wilson told council the ordinance to assume those duties is scheduled for the council’s Aug. 18 meeting and that a future vote on funding — if pursued — is planned for the first regular council meeting in September.
At the public hearing, Mike Herbert urged the council to set the plan aside and conduct more extensive outreach before considering funding. “Continuing to add burden to the community is not the answer,” Herbert said, urging the council to wait and do “deep outreach” if a tax or fee were ever proposed.
Why it matters: assuming the TBD would change how the body conducts its business and could make future TBD funding decisions simpler to schedule; however, residents said they want more public notification and engagement before any tax measures reach voters or are placed on the council’s agenda.
No council action to adopt the ordinance was taken at the Aug. 4 meeting; the council will consider the ordinance to assume TBD duties on Aug. 18 and any funding measure at an upcoming September meeting.
