Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
STA Proposition 1: Medical Lake council hears presentation; council to consider endorsement
Summary
A Spokane Transit Authority representative told Medical Lake council Proposition 1 is a renewal (not a tax increase) to continue the existing 0.2% sales tax that funds transit; council members discussed local service preservation and asked staff to bring a draft resolution for endorsement to the next meeting.
Spokane Transit Authority (STA) representative Emily Pool briefed the Medical Lake City Council on STA Proposition 1 during the June 16 meeting, describing it as a renewal of the existing 0.2% local sales-tax authorization that voters first approved in 2016.
Pool emphasized the measure is a renewal, not a tax increase, and described how the funding supports fixed-route and paratransit services, plus capital projects and grant-matching capacity. "This is a renewal of that 2/10 of 1%... it is not a new tax and it is not a tax increase," Pool said, explaining that the existing rate would continue through Dec. 31, 2048 if voters approve the measure.
Why it matters: STA told the council that without renewal the local authorization would lapse in December 2028, costing roughly $30 million annually in local revenue and jeopardizing state and federal grants (including an $82 million federal grant application for the Division Street bus rapid transit project). Pool stressed that a renewal preserves existing service levels and positions STA competitively for federal grants.
Council discussion centered on local service impacts and whether Medical Lake should formally endorse the measure. Council member Spears, who serves on the STA board, said a city resolution endorsing the renewal would show support for maintaining paratransit and other services that are especially important to small cities. Staff noted the board had already approved placing the measure on the Aug. 4 ballot and recommended council consider a draft resolution (resolution 26-817) at a future meeting.
Next steps: Council indicated comfort with bringing a formal resolution forward for action at a subsequent meeting, allowing two weeks for further review and conversation among councilmembers.
Ending: STA provided written materials and a project website for more information; staff will place the draft endorsement resolution on a forthcoming council agenda.
