(The Center Square) – King County Executive Dow Constantine announced earlier this week one of the largest levy proposals in county history to fund public parks projects and operations. The levy would run from 2026 through 2031 and generate an estimated $1.5 billion.
The proposed Parks Levy renewal would increase the current tax rate from 18 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to 24 cents. This means the owner of a median-valued King County home of $844,000 would pay $202.56 per year toward the levy.
The King County Council is expected to consider the proposed levy in the next few months before deciding whether to place it on the August ballot.
Press Secretary Amy Enbysk told The Center Square that the proposed levy renewal is the largest proposed levy based on annual revenue collection.
The largest tax proposal in county history is the Harborview Medical Center bond approved by King County voters in November 2020. That tax totals $1.74 billion over 20 years, so the annual impact is more gradual.
The largest portion of funding from the proposed Parks levy is $733 million, or 48%, which goes toward capital projects, according to a fiscal note.
Out of the $1.5 billion in generated funding, $341 million, or 22%, would be allocated to cover wages and benefits within King County Parks operations.
Levy funds would go toward establishing a climate response fund, upgrades at Marymoor Park in Redmond and Weyerhaeuser Aquatic Center in Federal Way, building Skyway’s first community center, funding educational programs, and creating a sports complex in South King County.
Funding would also increase the county park agency’s capacity to provide upkeep of its park and trail system.
“This is our opportunity to maintain, enhance, and expand the parks and trails that bring us closer to the outdoors and to each other,” Constantine said in a statement. “We will uphold the trust that the people of King County place in us as stewards of our beloved green spaces, keeping this legacy clean, safe, and open for everyone to enjoy.”
Assuming it gets on the ballot and is approved by voters, the King County Parks Levy would establish a “climate response fund that helps communities adapt to emerging climate risks.” These climate risks include temperatures reaching over 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Climate response projects would include building splash pads and sprinklers at parks, cooling and heating systems at community spaces, and making existing facilities more energy efficient.