Constantine proposes sales tax bump for housing in next King County budget
King County Executive Dow Constantine unveiled his $12.4 billion two-year budget proposal to the County Council on Tuesday. The nearly 700-page document identifies priorities that include fighting racism, managing the pandemic and raising funds for housing.
"This year, 2020, will surely be remembered as one of the most pivotal of our lifetimes," Constantine said in a video presentation to the council. "How we act, what we do, the choices we make, the commitments we fulfill, will define us — not only now, but to generations to come."
Constantine's biggest ask is likely for the council to enact a 0.1% sales tax increase that would raise $400 million toward permanent housing for the chronically homeless.
The county executive acknowledged that adding to the already high sales tax — it's 10.1% in Seattle — isn't ideal, but he argued that the funding is required to address the housing crisis at hand.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2020/09/22/constantine-proposes-sales-tax-bump-in-budget.html