Seattle transit tax plan would fund more bus trips and free ORCA access
Seattle, WA – A transit-tax renewal would double the city rate, fund 280,000 bus trips a year, and expand free ORCA access if voters are asked to approve it.
Seattle is moving a new transit measure that would double the city’s transit sales tax from 0.15% to 0.3% and generate about $138 million a year over 10 years if it clears City Council and voters. City officials say the renewed measure would take effect in 2027 and replace the current program before it expires in spring 2027.
The biggest change for riders would be more bus service. The mayor’s office says the plan would fund 280,000 King County Metro bus trips a year, 100,000 more than the current measure, with more service aimed at midday, evening, overnight, and weekend travel. The package also keeps Seattle Streetcar support and adds money for transit bottleneck fixes and stop improvements.
What households would pay
The city estimates the median two-person Seattle household would pay about $58 a year under the higher rate, compared with about $29 now. That is not a huge bill for every household, but it is still a real change for renters, homeowners, and small business owners watching city taxes and transportation costs closely.
The proposal would also expand free ORCA access. Seattle says it would more than double the number of free passes to 22,000, adding 12,000 more cards for people in programs tied to housing vouchers, students, low-income preschool families, Seattle Housing Authority residents, older adults, and families with young children. For riders who depend on transit for work, school, medical visits, childcare, or groceries, that may be the most immediate day-to-day benefit.
What happens next
The Seattle City Council’s Select Committee on Seattle Transportation Benefit District is now reviewing the proposal and will need to decide whether to refer it to voters. For Seattle residents, the next few weeks will help determine whether the city asks voters to trade a higher sales tax for more transit service over the next decade.
