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City of Bellevue

Proposition No. 2
Levy for Neighborhood Safety, Connectivity, and Congestion

The Bellevue City Council adopted Ordinance No. 6304 concerning a proposition to fund transportation neighborhood safety, connectivity and congestion improvements. To improve neighborhood safety, reduce neighborhood congestion, install sidewalk, trail and bicycle facilities, provide safe routes to connect people to schools, parks, transit and other services, and enhance maintenance and technology, this proposition would increase the City’s regular property tax levy by $0.150 to a total authorized rate of $1.280 (if only this proposition passes) per $1,000 of assessed value for collection in 2017 and for 19 years thereafter as allowed by chapter 84.55 RCW. Should this proposition be:

Approved

Rejected


State law generally limits annual property tax increases to 1% over the highest amount that a city could have received in one of the three most recent years. A majority of voters can approve an increase or “lift” above this limit. Proposition 2 authorizes Bellevue to lift this limit by increasing its regular property tax levy by up to 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. This lift would continue for 20 years.

Proposition 2 provides funding to be spent on six categories of transportation neighborhood safety, connectivity and congestion improvements: (1) Neighborhood safety projects including traffic calming, speed reduction, mid-block and other crosswalks with enhanced safety features; (2) Projects to address and ease congestion for motor vehicles within, near and/or connecting neighborhoods to services to improve access and mobility; (3) New sidewalks, trails and paths; (4) Technology for safety and traffic management; (5) Sidewalk and trail maintenance and enhancement; and (6) New bike facilities. The Bellevue City Council will allocate funding among these categories and may revise these categories. These categories and other details about the levy are described in Ordinance 6304, available online. 

Bellevue is also asking voters to consider a 12.5 cent property tax increase for improvements to fire facilities. If only Proposition 2 is approved, Bellevue’s total levy rate would not exceed $1.280 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for collection in 2017 ($1.405 if both propositions are approved). Bellevue could continue to bank the difference between the maximum rate and the amount actually levied.

For questions about this measure, contact: Kyle Stannert, Assistant City Manager, 425-452-6021, kstannert@bellevuewa.gov

Let’s keep Bellevue thriving through proactive and thoughtful planning along with aggressive implementation of transportation improvements.  Improving connectivity and mobility for drivers, transit riders, pedestrians and bicyclists is essential to preserving the high quality of life in our community. 

The time is now to address growing congestion, traffic and safety needs in all our neighborhoods.  Proposition 2 will provide dedicated funds for: (1) Projects that reduce neighborhood congestion; (2) Roadway and maintenance projects to improve pedestrian safety; (3) New sidewalks, trails and paths to connect our communities; (4) Advanced technologies that improve mobility; and (5) New bike facilities to separate cars from bikes and make bicycling in Bellevue safe and enjoyable. 

We are One Bellevue and improved transportation facilities City-wide is essential for safety, congestion relief, connectivity and serving residents of all ages and abilities.

The proposed levy will cost Bellevue homeowners on average $96 per year or just $8 per month.  This modest investment combined with other City transportation funds will use performance-based solutions to improve transportation safety, reduce congestion, and increase safety and mobility in all our neighborhoods.

Vote “yes” to keep Bellevue moving. Vote “yes” to a healthy, livable, and safe community. Vote “yes” for Bellevue!

The proposed levy is expected to generate $140 million over 20 years.  However, the City has published no estimates of the acquisition and ownership costs for the 223 projects identified as possible candidates, nor any planning schedule for their construction.  In addition, implementing ordinance 6304 allows the Council to decide whether all or some of the candidate transportation/sidewalk/bicycle projects are impractical, and may then apply the levy funds to other projects. 

The levy funds will only pay for preliminary design, cost estimation, and funding source identification for about 17 congestion relief projects; the balance of the projects may be constructed to standard designs over the 20 year term of the levy, but only after review and approval by the Council. The City's currently projected resources for 2018-2035 are adequate to accomplish these tasks if the City will stop subsidizing developers and builders like Wright Runstad, and require new developments to pay for their needed infrastructure (roads, sewers, water distribution, etc.). 

There has been no significant coordination with Bellevue citizens about the levy and its purpose.  The City received comments on 6 types of projects considered under the levy from only 500 respondents out of 75,421 registered City voters. 

Neighborhood safety matters. Levy-funded projects provide congestion relief and transportation safety improvements to ensure Bellevue’s high quality of life, allowing construction of much needed projects sooner, not several decades out.  Safe walkways to schools, safe crosswalks and slowing down speeders in our neighborhood streets while providing predictable access out of our neighborhoods. Bellevue leverages many transportation funding sources: developer traffic fees (tenfold increase since 2009), TIFIA loan, grants (average $3.6M/yr) and city dollars. Vote Yes!

Submitted by: Jennifer Robertson, Janice Zahn, My-Linh Thai, jsrobertson@comcast.net

This levy will do nothing to maintain the quality of life of City residents.  It is merely a means of increasing tax revenues to allow present and future Councils to implement pork barrel projects that they favor.  There are no detail designs, cost estimates, schedules, or performance measures for any of the "projects".  Levy taxes will only produce enough yearly revenue to make changes in Bellevue's traffic congestion, etc., very slowly, over a 20-year period.

Submitted by: David Plummer, pdf3@comcast.net

Simple majority (RCW 84.55.050)

For questions about this measure, contact: Kyle Stannert, Assistant City Manager, 425-452-6021, kstannert@bellevuewa.gov

 

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