Mercer Island Raising Taxes Temporarily To Fund I-90 Litigation

MERCER ISLAND, WA - The City Council this week approved a temporary tax increase on island utilities. The increase is meant to fund ongoing litigation over Sound Transit's construction of a light rail line through the island. For a period of two years beginning July 1, water-sewer utility taxes will increase 2 percent; the increase is expected to raise about $700,000.

According to the ordinance, water-sewer taxes will revert to the current rate of 5.3 percent on June 30, 2019. You can read the full text of the ordinance in the City Council packet (beginning on page 175).

In February, the city sued Sound Transit and the Washington state Department of Transportation over the planned closure of the Island Crest Way on-ramp to westbound I-90. Due to construction of light rail, that on-ramp will be accessible to high-occupancy vehicles (HOV) only. Single-occupancy vehicles (SOV) will be limited to using the 76th Avenue Southeast on-ramp.

Meanwhile, Sound Transit sued Mercer Island over a number of ordinances the city passed in March. Those ordinances impose six-month moratoriums on building light rail in city right-of-way along I-90, and issuing building permits that would allow the construction of a facility like a light rail station. King County Superior Court Judge Beth Andrus ruled in favor of Sound Transit. The city is going to appeal that ruling, however.

Meanwhile, the city is negotiating privately with Sound Transit to mitigate traffic impacts for light rail construction. The city is also seeking support from U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to allow single-occupancy vehicle access to I-90 at Island Crest Way.

But the June 3 permanent closure of the I-90 express lanes is approaching quickly. In its latest weekly newsletter to citizens, the city advised residents to begin preparing for the closure, perhaps by changing driving behavior.

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