Lodging Tax – Final Vote

On September 17th, the King County Council is expected to take a final vote to decide the allocation of lodging tax dollars. The meeting starts at 1:30pm on the 10th floor of King County Courthouse.  Arrive early to sign up to testify.

We need to be there to hold the line on the progress we have made winning new funding for affordable housing!

The legislation that passed out of committee on September 5th included:
– $165 million for affordable workforce housing and homeless youth, additional to the state-mandated minimum. (GOOD!)
– $135 million for Safeco Field. (BAD!)
– Almost nothing ($8 million) for other tourism, but there is a push among councilmembers to raise this between now and the final vote.

So, we need to urge the councilmembers that additional money for tourism (including support for immigrant-owned small businesses in SeaTac who are fighting displacement) must come out of the Safeco Field portion, NOT by backsliding on affordable housing.