Enumclaw’s streets need approximately $500,000 a year for maintenance to keep them at current levels. Without adequate funding, streets will deteriorate faster than they are rehabilitated, adding to the deferred maintenance currently at $3.5M. Funding has historically been from the City’s general fund generated from property and real estate excise taxes and vehicle license fees.
Enumclaw has leveraged grants to upgrade streets whenever possible, but we need this investment for ongoing maintenance to increase the longevity of the streets.
Enumclaw needs an additional $250,000 a year to repair and then maintain our severely damaged streets. This increase is designed so that all persons (resident and non-resident) conducting business in Enumclaw share the costs of maintaining the transportation system. A 0.1% increase is being requested, short of the 0.2% allowed by state law. This will generate approximately $250,000 per year for 10 years, and will be used exclusively for streets.
An increase from 8.6% to 8.7% is modest and the tax rate will remain lower than Auburn, Puyallup, Sumner, and Bonney Lake. The proposed tax of 0.1% is only an additional $1.00 for every $1,000.00 spent excluding food and other non-taxable items.
Please vote yes to fix our streets.
Statement submitted by: Rich Curtin and Pamela Harding
