Seattle mayor proposes 0.3% transit tax renewal as council clock starts
Seattle WA – Mayor Katie Wilson has proposed renewing Seattle’s transit sales tax at 0.3% for 10 years, but council approval is still needed for a November vote.
Seattle is opening a fresh debate over transit funding, but nothing has changed yet. Mayor Katie B. Wilson has proposed renewing the Seattle Transit Measure at a 0.30% sales-tax rate for 10 years, up from the current 0.15% levy.
City materials say the money would support more bus service, free ORCA cards for eligible riders, Seattle Streetcar operations, and projects meant to improve transit reliability. If approved, the proposal would affect both riders and shoppers because it would be paid for through a higher city sales tax on taxable purchases.
The City Council’s Select Committee on Seattle Transportation Benefit District is scheduled to begin hearing the plan on June 4, and a legislative memo says lawmakers would need to act by August 2026 if they want to place it on the November 2026 ballot. Until then, it remains only a proposal.
For Seattle residents, workers, and businesses, the practical question is whether the city should trade a higher sales tax for steadier transit funding. The next steps are committee hearings, possible amendments, and a council decision on whether voters get the final say this fall.
