The future of bus service in Seattle is on the line right now. Will the Seattle City Council send a bold expansion of transit service to the ballot? Or will they choose to cut service before voters even get the chance to choose?
You can weigh in before then. Send a letter to Council and join us at the public hearing on Monday, July 13 (details below).
The Seattle City Council is debating amendments to the Seattle Transit Measure, the voter-approved levy that Seattle uses to buy more bus service from King County Metro. The current measure expires in early 2027, and Council aims to send a renewal to voters this November.
The baseline proposal, released by Mayor Katie Wilson in June, is a 0.15% sales tax increase over 10 years. It would add 100,000 annual bus trips, bring Seattle to 89% completion of its Frequent Transit Network goal, and double the number of free ORCA cards for low-income riders to 22,000.
Wilson’s proposal would cost about $29 per year for the median two-person household and $17 per year for a low-income household. It would expand all-day, weekend, and night service. In the face of sky-high gas prices, it would make it easier for people to get where they need to without the expense and hassle of a car.
Councilmembers have proposed 23 amendments to the measure, touching on its size, duration, funding and service allocation, oversight, and reporting requirements. We're glad to see amendments that would strengthen the measure, like raising the guaranteed share of funding for service from 60% to 75% and committing to pursue progressive revenue sources so Seattle relies less on a regressive sales tax over time. But there are several amendments that could jeopardize the proposed measure.
Amendment 13, proposed by Councilmember Bob Kettle, would cut the measure's revenue by a third, from a 0.3% to a 0.2% sales tax. This would result in more than 1 million lost service hours over 10 years compared to a 0.3% measure. In fact, due to inflationary pressure, a 0.2% measure would require cuts to existing bus service and affordable fare programs.
Amendment 5 from Councilmember Rob Saka would shorten the measure's duration from 10 years to under seven, likely requiring an expensive special election (which often have lower turnout) for renewal.
Amendment 4, also from Rob Saka, would require Council to annually approve all STM-funded service purchases by route and service hours. This could turn service planning into a yearly political fight, distracting from other important work and priorities. Council already guides transit investment through the Seattle Transportation Plan, Comprehensive Plan, annual budget, service-purchase agreement with Metro, and King County’s Regional Transit Committee.
The Seattle City Council should keep this measure at its full size and 10-year duration, and shouldn't make it harder for Metro to deliver service to riders who need it. Fast, frequent, and reliable transit is key to helping our city thrive. Seattle voters approved this measure's predecessor with 80% support in 2020 and 60% support in 2014. Let’s make sure that the Seattle Transit Measure that goes before voters this November delivers the bus service Seattle needs and deserves.
You can take action today to protect the future of Seattle's bus service.
- Send a letter to Seattle City Council. Tell them to reject amendments that would shrink the Seattle Transit Measure, and support the ones that strengthen it for riders. Sending a letter takes less than 5 minutes.
- Rally and comment at the Public Hearing at 4:30pm on Monday, July 13. Join transit allies for a rally at City Hall, followed by public comment at 5:00pm to tell Council to invest in Seattle's transit system. Register here.
- Can't make it in person? Testify virtually at 9:30am on Monday, July 13. Remote registration opens at 8:30am. Find instructions and register here.
Katy Ricchiuto is the Policy Director for Transportation Choices Coalition, a statewide nonprofit that advocates for safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation across Washington.
Ryan Packer
