Mount Vernon City Council votes to put renewal of transportation benefit district sales tax on ballot

MOUNT VERNON - The Mount Vernon City Council voted Wednesday to ask voters in the Nov. 3 general election to renew a 0.2% sales and use tax to fund the city's transportation benefit district.

The revenue from the tax is used for transportation projects within city limits.

Since 2017, the city has used funds collected through the transportation benefit district for several road, traffic and sidewalk improvements.

The sales tax was approved by voters in 2016, but requires renewal every 10 years.

A list of all transportation benefit district projects since 2017 can be viewed on the city's website.

Mayor Peter Donovan said he's in favor of renewing the sales tax.

Donovan said the sales tax ensures that visitors to Mount Vernon who cause wear on the city's roads are also helping to pay for maintaining and repairing roads. Without the sales tax, that burden would be placed entirely on city residents.

"It's nice to know that a portion of their purchases is going to address the wear and tear that they've caused on our streets, rather than have it be carried on the backs of the residents," Donovan said.

Councilmember Andrew Vander Stoep said he's in support of placing the sales tax on the ballot, but he won't be supporting the sales tax itself.

"I won't be supporting the transportation benefit district this go-around," Vander Stoep said. "Sales tax is generally considered a pretty regressive tax, but I think it's fair to have the voters decide."

Also Wednesday, the City Council approved $450,000 for Community Action of Skagit County's Kulshan View affordable housing project.

In January, the city received a $450,000 grant from the state's Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program.

The Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program was created by the state in 2021 to fund utility connections in affordable housing projects.

City Development Services Director Steve Sexton told the council that Community Action plans to break ground on the Kulshan View affordable Housing project in June.

The Mount Vernon City Council's next meeting will be a special joint meeting with the city's Planning Commission at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

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