Redmon’s Marymoor Park (Image: King County Parks)
The King County Council last week finalized legislation that will put a $1.4 billion renewal of the county’s park levy on the August ballot.
“Over the life of the six-year levy, it is estimated it would generate $1.4 billion,” the announcement from the council reads. “The initial levy rate of 23.29 cents per $1,000 of assessed value would cost the owner of a median-valued home ($844,000) about $16.33 per month.”
The levy, first approved by voters in 2003, provides all funding to operate and maintain King County’s regional and local parks, trails and open space system, the council says.
In 2019, voters overwhelmingly approved the most recent renewal at a rate of 18.32 cents per $1,000 of assessed home value. The 2025 proposal represents a 27% bump “as property values, population and inflation increased.”
The six-year levy provides funding for the a large roster of programs:
- King County Parks capital, operations and maintenance
- Regional Trail Expansion, including the Interurban Trail, Eastrail, Green River Trail, Soos Creek Trail, Green Loop Trail, and the Lake to Sound Trail in South King County
- Open Space Land Conservation, in support of the County’s Land Conservation Initiative
- Playgrounds and active use park improvements and expansion
- King County cities, towns, and park districts
- Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Aquarium and Pacific Science Center
- Swimming Pools and other Water Access
- Healthy Communities and Parks Grants and Community Partnership Grants
- Ballfield and Sport Court improvements, preservation and grants
- Climate Resilience, Environmental Stewardship, and Fish Passage improvements
The 2025 election season will be especially busy for Seattle voters who face primary decisions in multiple important races including the run for the mayor’s office. King County voters are also electing a new County Executive this year.
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Maybe King County and Seattle could save a bunch of money and only have one election/ballot a year!
ohhhh…that’d ruin all the unnecessary back biting and politicking.
Special interests love that stuff. It’ll ruin it.
Perhaps property tax payers should be given discount at the swimming pools, aquarium and zoo ? For the more typical priced house it’s another $500 a year in property tax.
If you’re paying $500 a year then your house is worth $2.1 million… If the bump from the $392 you have been paying under the previous renewal is untenable, I’m sure you could find a modest $1.5 million home to downsize to and put the profit from the sale towards the smaller tax bill and zoo tickets.
I bought my house in South Seattle in 2021 after renting in CH for 15 years and have now been unemployed for a year. Counting every dollar every day. Cut insurance, no heating this winter. Even $150 a year matters to me right now.
The enhanced cost difference between Seattle/King County property taxes is noticeable when compared to Snohomish and Pierce Counties. Fire/EMS, parks, and community services are often good or better, for less cost. You can actually use the bathrooms in many, ‘not us’ parks.
While Seattle isn’t KC parks, I am now biased and mad. My CH park is garbage due to lack of care. Sell KC property for housing to recoup county deficit, build affordable and low barrier housing, there. Claw back property tax cost, sell to build dense housing. Seattle residents pay a premium to live in a desirable area, but what beneficial services do residents receive in return for KC parks dollars? Readers here, that hate on Maple Valley, Enumclaw, and Issaquah, your apt rent or condo pays for their fields.
Make Redmond sell/fund Marymoor, To KC/east side wealthy cities, Council, vote to incorporate or sell KC parks or local municipality fund them. Make Issaquah or Bellevue fund Cougar Mountain recreational area.
Capitol Hill residents receive a limited distribution of seasonal trailhead busses, and we vote to approve, when a wealthy city jurisdiction can claim to preserve it?
Sell the fucking parks to developers to bring the cost of living down!