2024 Transportation Levy Overview & Toolkit

Overview

On July 9, the Seattle City Council approved a legislative package to renew and update the city’s Transportation Levy, a $930 million package that was approved by voters in 2015. 

The current eight-year Transportation Levy, known as the Levy to Move Seattle, is set to expire at the end of 2024. In preparation, Mayor Bruce Harrell proposed a new eight-year, $1.45 billion levy to fund transportation safety and maintenance. 

The mayor’s proposal was reviewed and amended by the Council’s Select Committee on the 2024 Transportation Levy. That committee includes all nine councilmembers and is chaired by Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1). 

Since the updated package was approved by Council, it will go to a final vote of the people on this November’s ballot.

The Council’s Current Levy Proposal

The Seattle City Council amended the proposal transmitted by the mayor’s office, which was sent to the Council in May.

Chair Saka’s Proposed Amendments

The Chair of the Select Committee on the 2024 Transportation Levy, Rob Saka, proposed a package of amendments to the Mayor’s proposed levy. Chair Saka's proposal, broadly speaking, invests the levy's funds in the following ways: 

• $403 million in street maintenance and modernization
• $221 million in bridge infrastructure and safety
• $193 million in pedestrian safety
• $160.5 million in Vision Zero and school and neighborhood safety
• $151 million in improving transit corridors and connections
• $133.5 million for bicycle safety
• $100 million to install and maintain traffic signals and improve mobility
• $69 million to better address climate change, protect the environment, and increase our tree canopy
• $66.5 million to activate public spaces, neighborhoods, and business districts
• $45 million for economy-focused improvements to our freight transportation system
• $7.5 million for good governance, oversight, and property tax relief education

The changes brought the total package to $1.55 billion, compared to $1.45 billion under Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposal. The anticipated annual property tax bill for the median home would be $499 compared to $469 under the mayor’s proposal.

Council Meetings on the Transportation Levy

The Select Committee on the 2024 Transportation Levy has been meeting since May 7. They expect to cast final votes on the proposed levy package in early July. 

Information about the Proposed Transportation Levy

• View the proposed legislation
• View a presentation that gives an overview of the proposed levy
• Read a memo about the mayor’s proposed levy
• Watch Chair Saka’s remarks about the levy
• View a summary of Chair Saka's proposed package
• Read a memo about the Council’s proposed amendments

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why does a levy exist in the first place? Isn’t funding for things like pothole repair, repaving, and bridge maintenance already covered by the City’s budget?
  • Under State law, property tax revenue growth is strictly limited to 1% per year (plus the value of new construction) – which is not currently adequate to cover many basic city services in the absence of a voter-approved levy.
    
    In the early 2000s, this limit was imposed in State Initiative-747 and subsequent legislative action. Prior to these State law changes, additional funds raised by a levy were generally considered “additive” to existing City-funded services.
    
    Given the compounding effect of the 1% property tax cap over time, municipalities such as Seattle have become increasingly reliant on voter-approved levies to fund essential City transportation services, including pothole repair and bridge maintenance. That’s why the existing, expiring levy accounts for 30% of the Seattle Department of Transportations’ total budget.

• What will this new levy pay for?
  • Councilmember Saka’s proposal, broadly speaking, would invest that funding in the following ways:
    
    • $403 million in street maintenance and modernization
    • $221 million in bridge infrastructure and safety
    • $193 million in pedestrian safety
    • $160.5 million in Vision Zero and school and neighborhood safety
    • $151 million in improving transit corridors and connections
    • $133.5 million for bicycle safety
    • $100 million to install and maintain traffic signals and improve mobility
    • $69 million to better address climate change, protect the environment, and increase our tree canopy
    • $66.5 million to activate public spaces, neighborhoods, and business districts
    • $45 million for economy-focused improvements to our freight transportation system
    • $7.5 million for good governance, oversight, and property tax relief education

• How can I be sure that tax dollars are being spent responsibly?
  • The council-amended levy proposal includes increased accountability, transparency, and good governance requirements. Among other things, Chair Saka’s proposal would implement more detailed spending requirements, strengthen the levy’s oversight committee, and provide funding for auditing.  
    
    The Seattle Department of Transportation makes quarterly and annual reports on the levy’s spending progress, and there is a Levy Oversight Committee to ensure the funds are being spent as intended.

How to Make Your Voice Heard

The Select Committee on the 2024 Transportation Levy hosted two public hearings, one each in May and June. The Council took its final vote on the levy on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

• You can submit your comments and questions to councilmembers via email. Addressing your message to council@seattle.gov will send it to all nine council offices. 
• You can give public comment at any of the remaining meetings of the Select Committee on the 2024 Transportation Levy. This webpage has more information about how you can sign up.  

Next Steps

The Council's amended version of the levy was passed by the Select Committee on June 28, 2024. The Full City Council approved the updated proposal on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. If signed by Mayor Harrell, it will then be submitted to King County Elections and appear on the 2024 November ballot.

Other Resources

• Select Committee on the 2024 Transportation Levy
• Levy to Move Seattle homepage
• Current levy materials, like annual reports
• Current levy reporting dashboard

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