CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the levy of property taxes; fixing the rates and/or amounts of taxes to be levied, and levying the same upon all taxable property, both real and personal, in The City of Seattle, to finance the departments and activities of City government and to provide for the general obligation bond interest and redemption requirements, for the year beginning on the first day of January 2025; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. General Municipal and Firefighters’ Pension
A. There is levied a tax on all taxable property, both real and personal, within The City of Seattle and subject to taxation under the laws of the State of Washington in the amount of $1,080,637,191, which is calculated as $3.60 per $1,000 of estimated assessed value of all taxable property in the city. This tax is levied for the purpose of raising revenue to finance the various departments and activities of the municipal government of The City of Seattle for the fiscal (calendar) year 2025. The following sentence is provided for information only. This levy has been calculated at the following dollar rates per $1,000 of assessed value: $3.375 for general municipal purposes as allowed by RCW 84.52.043 (which includes up to $0.225 for the Firemen’s Pension Fund as allowed by RCW 41.16.060); and $0.225 for general municipal purposes and the Firemen’s Pension Fund as allowed by RCW 41.16.060. This levy includes an amount of $100,000 or the highest lawful amount as the King County Assessor may certify, whichever is higher, to recover amounts refunded within the preceding 12 months. This levy also includes an amount of $187,000,000 for transportation purposes in accordance with Ordinance 127053; an amount of $3,000,000 for election vouchers funding purposes in accordance with Resolution 31601 and Section 2 of Initiative 122; an amount of $91,184,581 for education purposes in accordance with Ordinance 125604; an amount of $31,920,296 for library maintenance and services in accordance with Ordinance 125809; and an amount of $138,608,596 for low-income housing purposes in accordance with Ordinance 126837.
B. If the total of the amounts of taxes stated in subsection 1.A or the total of the tax rate stated in subsection 1.A would be in excess of any maximum allowed by law, then such taxes shall be reduced to the maximum amount allowed. The maximum amount allowed by law includes the maximum amount of regular property taxes approved by vote of the people of The City of Seattle pursuant to RCW 84.55.050. For purposes of this subsection, the maximum amount of regular property taxes is determined by the King County Assessor as follows. First, the Assessor determines the amount of regular City property taxes that could be levied for collection in 2025 had the voters approved none of the levy lid lift measures submitted pursuant to RCW 84.55.050, Resolution 31601 and Section 2 of Initiative 122, and Ordinances 127053, 125604, 125809, and 126837. This amount is computed by the Assessor by multiplying the amount of general-purpose regular property taxes levied for collection in 2024 by a limit factor. The limit factor is the lesser of 101 percent or 100 percent plus the rate of inflation, unless, pursuant to RCW 84.55.0101, the Council finds that there is a substantial need to use and approves the use of 101 percent as the regular property tax limit factor. Second, the Assessor adds the levy for tax refunds authorized by RCW 84.68.040, RCW 84.69.180, and RCW 84.55.070; plus the allowance authorized by RCW 84.55.010 for new construction, increases in assessed value due to construction of electric generation wind turbine facilities classified as personal property, improvements to property, and any increase in the assessed value of state-assessed property. Then, to that total amount is added the five dollar amounts set forth in the last sentence of subsection 1.A authorized for 2025 collection in the approvals given by the voters of the City pursuant to RCW 84.55.050 and those enumerated ordinances.
Section 2. Voter-approved excess taxes for bonds. In addition, a further tax is levied to raise revenue to provide for the interest on and redemption of voter-approved general obligation bonds for the fiscal year 2025 in the amount of $16,164,900. This tax is applicable to all taxable property within The City of Seattle.
Section 3. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section, subsection, or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application thereof to any person, property, or circumstance, shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this ordinance or the validity of its application to other persons, property, or circumstances.
Section 4. Any act pursuant to the authority of this ordinance taken after its passage and prior to its effective date is ratified and confirmed.
Section 5. This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2024, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2024.
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President ____________ of the City Council
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Approved / |
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returned unsigned / |
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vetoed this _____ day of _________________, 2024. |
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2024.
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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)