SNOHOMISH — The City Council is asking voters here to approve creation of a metropolitan park taxing district during the Aug. 4 primary election, but the ballot will not say exactly how much the property tax increase would be.
If the taxing district is passed, the council could levy a property tax of up to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That’s the maximum amount allowed by state law.
The council could also set a lower tax rate. If voters approve the district, the amount will not be determined until November 2016.
“If you’re not prepared to pay 75 cents, you shouldn’t vote for this,” Councilwoman Lynn Schilaty said as the council considered whether to put an amount on the ballot Tuesday evening.
The city estimates that a 75-cent property tax increase per $1,000 of assessed value would cost $15.45 a month for the owner of a $247,200 home. That’s $185.40 a year for the average Snohomish property owner.
If voters approve, City Manager Larry Bauman estimates that a 75-cent tax hike would generate $834,000 annually for the parks district.
The money would be added to the amount spent on parks from the city’s general fund. That’s about $710,000 annually, Bauman said. He expects the amount allocated for parks to increase in the 2016 budget, which the staff is to present to the council in September.
If the parks district does not levy the maximum amount of 75 cents, the difference between 75 cents and the actual amount could be assessed later.
However, the amount the park district can collect can be limited, depending on how much other taxing districts levy. The state caps property tax amounts for various districts based on a complicated formula.
The council has identified four projects to give voters in Snohomish an idea of how it might use the money from the parks district. The city could later change its priorities.
The sites slated for development are the Hal Moe Pool building, 20 acres of riverfront farmland that is to include the city’s new boat launch, the Interurban Trail and two potential dog parks.
Bauman said city staffers identified the four projects based on results of a 2014 telephone survey the city conducted before updating its parks plan.
The council last Tuesday selected people to write the pro and con statements for the ballot measure. The three-person pro committee includes retired Snohomish Project Manager Ann Stanton, Lya Badgley and John First. Morgan Davis is the sole member of the con committee.
Across Washington, 18 other taxing districts have been created to pay for parks in cities and unincorporated parts of counties, including in Tacoma, Seattle and Tukwila.
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
