Speaking of elections: Council OK’s $290 million seawall levy

July 2, 2012 at 1:41 pm | In Safety, West Seattle news, West Seattle politics | 16 Comments

You might remember that video from 2009 – WSDOT’s version of how a big quake could bring down the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the downtown Seattle seawall. The Viaduct’s fate has since been settled, but the seawall’s has not …till now. Months after that video went public, not long after taking office in early 2010, Mayor McGinn proposed a $241 million property-tax levy to pay most of the cost of replacing the Elliott Bay seawall (we covered the announcement downtown). That proposal died. Now a new one is expected to go to Seattle voters in November – a $290 million bond measure that got preliminary City Council approval today (here’s the news release), with final approval expected next week. That’s not the full cost – the news release says the city’s already set aside $30 million, and the county would chip in $30 million more. One more number: If your house is worth $360,000, the city says the new seawall will cost you $59 a year. If the current schedule proceeds, it would be done by 2016 – when the tunnel’s supposed to be done, too.

16 Comments

  1. Oh, how kind of them to kick in 60 million of already levied tax money. What the heck are they doing with the rest of the tax revenue? It seems like all they ever do here is give grants for non-essential stuff while levying taxes for the infrastructure of the city. Backwards much?

    Comment by Tuesday — 3:28 pm July 2, 2012 #

  2. Bagshaw and Rasmussen are in town? Neither have responded to my Lincoln Park zip line email.

    Comment by dsa — 3:49 pm July 2, 2012 #

  3. Can’t speak for Rasmussen – since CM Bagshaw is the chair of the Parks Committee, I’d been trying to reach her first, and her assistant said she was “on vacation through July 8th,” so I’m trying again. – TR

    Comment by WSB — 4:08 pm July 2, 2012 #

  4. Wasn’t there a proposal to fix the seawall in combination with a tunnel, as a cost saving measure? Of course, that’s a moot point now.

    Comment by Curiouser — 4:31 pm July 2, 2012 #

  5. I thought that tunneling on the current alignment meant that construction did not affect as much of the seawall. So the state was off the hook.

    Comment by dsa — 4:40 pm July 2, 2012 #

  6. Vote yes for it! Vote yes on the library tax levy too vote yes on all of them just do it..Yaaaaay!

    Comment by Jiggers — 5:39 pm July 2, 2012 #

  7. And what % of the seawall replacement is being financed via a local improvement district?

    Comment by flynlo — 7:33 pm July 2, 2012 #

  8. Why can’t the council just approve something that is considered critical infrastructure. I’d hate to see this voted down in November and an earthquake to occur and the seawall to give-way.

    Comment by Colby — 7:51 pm July 2, 2012 #

  9. Voting NO for Library tax-NO-No No!

    Comment by Anne — 9:34 pm July 2, 2012 #

  10. How many levies are we currently paying on? Are not garbage, sewer, electricity, and water bills going up? When do you break the back of the property owners in Seattle? Here’s an interesting thought – let the property owners vote on this.

    Comment by KT — 10:14 pm July 2, 2012 #

  11. I just heard the council voted to increase OUR electricity rates by over 4% for the next several years to pay for a new substation DOWNTOWN.

    Comment by dsa — 11:29 pm July 2, 2012 #

  12. http://powerlines.seattle.gov/2012/07/02/seattle-city-council-adopts-seattle-city-light-six-year-strategic-plan/

    Comment by WSB — 11:33 pm July 2, 2012 #

  13. The seawall replacement was in the plans for the tunnel that followed the current path of the AWV. The tunnel as planned now does not, that is why it is not in the pans to replace it during tunnel construction.
    The City and County Clowncils will deffer ANY infrastructure construction until it is paid for by increased taxes, meanwhile they fund things like the “drunk” hotel, so-called “art” pieces and other various non-essential items.
    It just like every year when they put out the budget and say that taxes need to be increased or more cuts to education will be made.
    They will fund the “wants” prior to the “needs” and then use taxes increases to fund the “needs.”
    THAT is where Gov’t is going wrong at ALL levels. They need to funds the “needs,” i.e. education, police, fire, utilities, transportation (the IMPORTANT items) and then with what is left fund the “wants” like the “drunk” hotel, arts and “feel good” measures. Then if they want an increase in funding for those, go to the tax payers and ask for a increase in taxes for them. Instead of holding the important items hostage and threatening the citizens with cuts to them unless taxes are increased.

    Comment by Ex-Westwood Resident — 6:41 am July 3, 2012 #

  14. Dont like the way things are? Time to move!

    Comment by Unquestionable — 9:56 am July 3, 2012 #

  15. How about-instead of moving we/you/me-you know-”We the People” try to make a change?

    Comment by Anne — 11:38 am July 3, 2012 #

  16. This is an important infrastructure project to seismically retrofit the seawall which is deteriorating and needs to be reinforced. Please support this project, it is an investment in our safety and the integrity of the seawall.

    Comment by K M — 1:05 pm July 3, 2012 #

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