Seattle is asking voters to double a transit sales tax for the next decade despite King County Metro carrying substantially fewer passengers than before the pandemic, collecting fares from a shrinking share of its operating costs and reporting that roughly one-third of riders do not pay.
Proposition 1, on the November 3 ballot, would authorize a sales tax of up to 0.3 percent for up to 10 years, replacing the existing 0.15 percent tax that expires March 31, 2027. City officials estimate the measure would generate approximately $138 million annually. The Seattle City Council unanimously approved placing it before voters.
The increase would come on top of Metro’s existing 0.9 percent countywide sales tax. Doubling Seattle’s transit tax would add $1.50 to every $1,000 in taxable purchases…