King County parks levy would raise $16.38 a month for median home; Federal Way could see about $6 million in pass-through funds

King County officials told the Federal Way City Council on May 20 that the county’s replacement parks levy, referred to the Aug. 5 ballot, would set a rate of 23.29 cents per $1,000 of assessed value — about $16.38 per month for the county’s median-valued home — and would roughly double Federal Way’s direct pass-through funding over the six-year levy period.

The levy is a renewal measure referred in April for the Aug. 5 ballot, and the county describes its spending plan in three buckets: maintaining the existing system, increasing access (including grant and pass-through programs to cities), and growing regional open space and trails. Warren Jimenez, director of King County Parks, said the levy “is focusing in these 3 groups around taking care of the system … enhancing through important connections, as well as growing and connecting this open space regional trails.”

Why it matters: the levy would provide the bulk of King County Parks’ operating budget and funds capital projects used by cities across South King County. During the briefing, county and city officials focused on the levy’s pass-through funding and local grant opportunities that Federal Way could use for deferred maintenance, new park development and encampment response.

Most important facts

- Rate and household cost: The proposed levy rate is 23.29¢ per $1,000 of assessed…