Pasco creates Transportation Benefit District; council discusses but does not impose taxes

The Pasco City Council on Feb. 17 adopted Ordinance 4816 to establish a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) intended to provide a dedicated mechanism for funding pavement maintenance, reconstruction, traffic operations and other transportation capital projects.

Deputy City Manager (transcript name spelled as "Seagdell/Sigdell") described the TBD as a legal special-purpose district that would allow the city to pursue restricted transportation funding sources, including consideration of a "1 tenth of a sales tax" mentioned in the presentation, if and when the council chooses or places that option before voters. She said forming the TBD is the first step; additional state-level steps and approvals would follow and could take "at least 6 to 9 months."

Council discussion included Council Member Prowse, who said he opposed increasing the sales tax and would vote no on any tax increase even though he was not opposed to forming the district itself. Other members, including Council Member Figueroa, said forming the TBD was a responsible preparatory step given aging infrastructure and constrained street funds. Staff repeatedly clarified that creating the TBD does not itself impose taxes.

The ordinance to create the TBD (new chapter 3.27) was adopted by the council; the clerk completed a roll call as part of the adoption process and staff addressed a subsequent clerical clarification during the meeting.

What happens next: if council later elects to pursue a sales-tax option or other TBD revenue, the city will follow state procedures and public-notice requirements and return to the council for the necessary approvals or ballot placement.