Countywide property-tax increase proposed to save health clinics, fix Harborview Medical Center

| Health | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

It’s budget season for government agencies, which is why you’re hearing more than usual about money matters. One of today’s announcements would bring a countywide property-tax increase to save King County’s endangered public-health clinics and to fund maintenance at Harborview Medical Center, our region’s trauma hospital. This proposal does not need voter approval; it’s made possible by what the announcement from King County Executive Dow Constantine calls “a modified county hospital property tax authority approved by the state Legislature earlier this year.” It would cost 8.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value – that’s $72 a year for a house at the median King County valuation of $850,000. Here’s what the announcement says that money would go for:

It will raise $25 million, about 3 cents, for Public Health — Seattle & King County to sustain clinic operations in 2025 and provide essential health services to the most vulnerable. It will also raise $25 million for operations supporting those most in need at HMC. Roughly 2 cents of the tax total will raise $19 million for major infrastructure improvement projects at HMC in 2025. The remaining amount covers administrative costs to implement operations and contributes to the fund’s rainy-day reserve.

Clinic funding had been coming from the general fund, which faces a nine-digit shortfall. The county’s clinics serve 80,000 people; the nearest one is in the Greenbridge area of White Center, focusing on services for mothers and babies.

Amy September 19, 2024 (5:51 pm)

This is add’l to the proposed property tax increase for the 1.5XX billion transportation bill we are voting on in Nov?

WSB September 19, 2024 (6:12 pm)

This isn’t on the ballot; it would take effect sometime after the first of the year if it remains in the budget plan the County Council eventually approves.

Darren September 19, 2024 (6:02 pm)

I worked at HMC for 15 years as a administrator they do great work but to say there is waste is a understatement can’t speak to physical maintenance but salaries of senior leadership and lack of productivity measures the hospital and clinics are poorly run, and if you try to speak power to leadership you are not heardrefuse to look at changes outside the box or to listen to those at the front lineUnfortunate the levy doesn’t require a vote, if people had opportunity to ask questions Remember the county owns the land harborview sits on, UW/ Uw medicine operatesit administratively Bloated layers and crazy salaries at the senior administration level, limited to no accountability

Seattlite September 19, 2024 (8:26 pm)

Darren…I can confirm your comment as true. I worked at HMC way back in the late 70’s and the same things were going on at that time too. It is strange that property owners are never told: How, why, and when did KC’s public health clinics become “endangered”? Transparency is so important. A budget can be presented to the property owners but are all of the budget changes presented to the property owners. Not being able to vote on any proposal that involves increasing property owners’ taxes is just wrong. It’s the property owners’ money being spent without consent so it only seems fair and just that property owners have ALL of the details and continual updates.
- WSB September 19, 2024 (8:42 pm)
  
  There’s been copious coverage of the health clinics facing potential closure. I don’t have time to look it up but a quick google will, I’m certain, yield information for you.
Rick September 19, 2024 (11:00 pm)

Been hauled there several times. Usually OK but I prefer the VA.

Vee September 19, 2024 (6:26 pm)

Can’t handle any more property taxes which are due to poor management and budget and inflated salaries of someMy mortgage went up 150 last time and being on fixed income is impossible

Ferns September 19, 2024 (6:36 pm)

Ever increasing taxes should not be linked to property. Housing is a necessity.

Oop September 19, 2024 (10:17 pm)

Would love to see some income, wealth, and/or capital gains taxes instead. Unfortunately options are limited due to our state’s crazy laws.

Dr. Evil September 19, 2024 (7:08 pm)

How about NO?

THOMAS September 19, 2024 (7:33 pm)

instead of raising property taxes raise the tax on cigarettes,alcohol and weed older people are being forced out of there homes because of the continue raising of our property taxes

Ex-Westwood Resident September 19, 2024 (8:13 pm)

Another Property Tax increase???

In November, my mortgage payment is going up $195.00 because of the latest round of approved Property Tax increases.

And people wonder why housing is so expensive in the area!!!

The ONLY people that should be able to vote on Property Tax increase should be property owners.

Jim September 19, 2024 (10:19 pm)

Sensible! Also, only smokers should vote on cigarette taxes.
momosmom September 20, 2024 (7:03 am)

“The ONLY people that should be able to vote on Property Tax increase should be property owners.”

But some do not know how to say no.
RLV September 20, 2024 (9:54 am)

Again, renters also pay for property tax increases. Do you think that landlords just absorb those increases? No, they pass them on to their renters.
- WS Resident September 20, 2024 (4:09 pm)
  
  As a private citizen with one rental, no I can’t pass on the cost to my tenant every time taxes go up. Funny people advocate for taxes like this and then complain we need more affordable housing. Pick one.

star 55 September 19, 2024 (9:27 pm)

I can’t bleed any more on tax increase.

Mike September 19, 2024 (10:24 pm)

So how do we get them to realize that raising property taxes is a major reason housing is so expensive and unaffordable? Why they don’t understand that the property tax increases are counter productive to lowering the cost of home ownership or to rents. Am I the one who doesn’t understand the economics?

Daniel September 19, 2024 (11:13 pm)

I mean, maybe? Property tax in a lot of Texas is way higher %-wise (on average 1.5x-2x higher, sometimes as high as 4x more), but housing is much cheaper. Seattle housing being expensive has more to do with supply vs demand, and more expensive labor, materials, permitting, etc. E.g. Austin, one of the more expensive cities in Texas, has something like 30-50% cheaper total construction costs.
SoLongDelridge September 20, 2024 (7:58 am)

The main problem you’ll have convincing people is that taxes are not the major reason.

Matt September 20, 2024 (4:44 am)

I want to like Dow, but then he keeps proposing stuff like this. Our homes aren’t ATMs.

Lola September 20, 2024 (7:32 am)

Why do you think I only VOTE NO on all of these other taxes that they want me to Vote on? It is because of $#!+ like this.

wetone September 20, 2024 (9:11 am)

Time to replace many of our appointed officials as they just don’t seem concerned with the impacts caused by their poor budgeting, spending and priority continuations…. Seattle will soon be land of wealthy and poor, as medium/low income flee to save what they have left. Blue collar, fixed income sure can’t retire here as their income places them in most cases just above the threshold for any type of assistance. Dow needs to go………

P. Phukety September 20, 2024 (9:19 am)

This city is more bipolar than Kanye West. One moment they talk about affordable housing and the next they want to keep raising property taxes. The fact is that lower property taxes are paramount in keeping housing costs lower. My property taxes alone add over $500 a month to my monthly bills, with an uncapped ceiling. Every year it goes higher and higher, but my income is more fixed. When will WA adopt the homestead exemption many other states have to protect homeowner’s main asset? The homestead exemption will help single dwelling property owners by limiting their increased value and hit developers and other entities that own multiple dwellings. Once we have a homestead exemption, then we explore more taxes for infrastructure so people aren’t getting priced out of their homes.

K September 20, 2024 (9:51 am)

You know, if we build a ton more housing, it would stabilize property taxes for existing homeowners, and convert many people using services into taxpayers to increase the tax base. Think about your tax bill when you see development plans and opportunities, not just when there’s a levy in the ballot.