Richland council approves 0.1% sales tax to replace $20 car‑tab fee for pavement preservation

The Richland City Council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance converting the $20 car‑tab fee into a sales and use tax of one‑tenth of 1% within the Richland Transportation Benefit District to fund pavement preservation.

Council members approved the ordinance on a first reading and scheduled a second reading in October; staff said the change would require coordination with the Washington State Department of Revenue to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, if the submitted ordinance meets the department’s timeline.

City staff told the council the existing card‑tab fee, collected since 2019, produces roughly $1 million a year and covers about 25% of the pavement preservation need. Converting to a sales‑tax model would, according to staff estimates presented at the meeting, roughly double that revenue to about…