The Battle Ground City Council signaled support Monday, March 2, for exploring a potential C-Tran taxing subdistrict that could fund operations and maintenance for light rail as part of the Interstate-5 Bridge Replacement (IBR) project while potentially shielding smaller cities from paying the tax. Any subdistrict tax proposal would ultimately require voter approval within the defined boundary.
Battle Ground Mayor Eric Overholser asked the council for direction ahead of an upcoming C-Tran Board of Directors meeting, where the idea could surface as a discussion item. The proposed high-capacity transit subdistrict would establish a geographic boundary for taxation tied to light rail operations.
In March last year, the previous City Council voted 4-3 to approve a resolution formally opposing the inclusion of light rail in the IBR project, citing cost concerns while noting a lack of benefits for Battle Ground taxpayers…