Woke Seattle mayor pitches another tax hike to fund her lofty public transit goals...suggesting city residents pay DOUBLE

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 17:25, 4 June 2026 | Updated: 17:26, 4 June 2026 Seattle's tax-loving mayor has proposed a new tax on the residents of Emerald City, nearly doubling a sales tax to help pay for her lofty public transit goals.  Mayor Katie Wilson, 43, asked voters on Tuesday to approve a new 0.3 percent tax to help pay for bus service improvements and hand out over 20,000 free bus passes. 'The Seattle Transit Measure is one of the reasons why the bus is an irresistibly good way to get around Seattle,' Wilson said.  'Transportation is one of the biggest costs for most families, so these investments are essential to make our city more affordable so Seattleites can get to jobs, opportunities and each other without a car.' The ten-year-long measure would replace the city's current 0.15 percent Seattle Transit Measure sales tax, which is set to expire in March 2027, which saw voter support of around 80 percent in 2020. Funding toward the Metro bus service would increase by about 50 percent and pay for around 280,000 trips each year, an increase from 100,000, the city said.  Around 22,000 free ORCA transit passes would also be handed out to lower-income residents across the ten-year-long measure, an increase of more than double the current amount, KOMO News reported.   According to the city, the median two-person household would pay an additional $29 each year, totaling $58 up from the current $29 annual tax cost, the outlet reported.  Mayor Katie Wilson, 43, asked voters on Tuesday to approve a new 0.3 percent tax to help pay for bus service improvements and hand out over 20,000 free bus passes Funding toward the Metro bus service would increase by about 50 percent and pay for around 280,000 trips each year, an increase from 100,000 The ten-year-long measure would replace the city's current 0.15 percent Seattle Transit Measure sales tax, which is set to expire in March 2027, which saw voter support of around 80 percent in 2020 'The Seattle Transit Measure bolsters transit service so our buses and streetcars run more frequently throughout the day and night,' SDOT Acting Director Angela Brady said on Tuesday. 'People need to get around at all times of the day, and not everyone works a 9-to-5 job.' The proposal would see around $96 million allocated annually toward all-week bus services.  It also plans to add around $6 million per year supporting Sound Transit's light rail expansions, including the West Seattle Link Extension, Ballard Link Extension and Graham Street Station. The measure also has hopes of tackling delays and improving accessibility at bus stops across the city.  'We've made it easier for a family to be car-free, or car-light. That adds hundreds or thousands of dollars to their yearly budget,' Wilson said in her announcement.  'I'll also say that, you know, ridership is climbing back up. So we're looking forward to a future where ridership is surpassing and continuing to grow past pre-pandemic levels.'  In March, King County Metro reported an average of 274,000 weekday passengers, which, while increasing, remains far from its 2019 peak of 410,000, the Seattle Times reported.  The proposal would see around $96 million allocated annually toward all-week bus services. It also plans to add around $6 million per year supporting Sound Transit's light rail expansions In March, King County Metro reported an average of 274,000 weekday passengers, which, while increasing, remains far from its 2019 peak of 410,000 The median two-person household would pay an additional $29 each year, totaling $58 up from the current $29 annual tax cost Washington Policy Center transportation analyst Charles Prestrud, however, argued that the proposal would dismantle social equity, as 81 percent of low-income commuters drive or carpool, according to the outlet.  Prestrud argued that the rising taxes would make the region less affordable, and said: 'Throwing money into ST3 is money in a black hole, where we will not see any benefits for decades.'  Public comment will be considered as the Seattle City Council reviews the measure and considers if it will be put forward for public vote.  The proposal comes after Wilson implemented a millionaire tax in the state, which is aimed at the super-rich. The tax, which will not come into effect until the 2028 tax year, was signed into law at the end of March by Governor Bob Ferguson. Under the new state law, those earning over $1 million per year will be slapped with a 9.9 percent hike, which Ferguson said is 'historic.'  The move comes after Microsoft president Brad Smith raised the alarm on the state of the business climate in Washington last year. He told KOMO News: 'I'm probably more worried right now about the business climate in Washington than at any point over the last 30 years. 'If other people are paying for jobs to leave and we're taxing them to stay, that will make everything harder.' State Republicans criticized the move all the way up until Ferguson signed it in, warning that large corporations like Starbucks and T-Mobile would leave the state. Several other businesses, including Amazon and Meta, have already cut jobs in the state.  The Daily Mail reached out to the mayor's office and the Seattle City Council for comment.   No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. 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