King County Ballot Proposal Would Boost Land Conservation Efforts

Seattle WA

19 May, 2022

2:43 PM

Description

KING COUNTY, WA — King County voters could see a new ballot measure this November, which would boost existing funding to support conservation efforts over the next three decades. King County Executive Dow Constantine unveiled the proposal Thursday, touting the measure as a tool to quickly bolster protections for the region's natural environments. "This is our generation's moment to protect the last, best places — forests, trails, rivers, farmland, and greenspace — before they are lost forever," Constantine said. "By accelerating land conservation throughout King County, we will confront climate change by protecting mature forests, improve habitat for native salmon, strengthen our local food economy, provide more recreational opportunities, and ensure more equitable access to the outdoors." According to Constantine's office, the measure would fully restore funding from Washington's Conservation Futures Program by raising property taxes, costing the owner of a median-value home an estimated $2 per month. The program, authorized in 1982, has helped the county protect about 100,000 acres of open space, but changes at the state level in recent years have cut available revenue in half. That funding would be achieved by nearly doubling the current levy's rate, from $3.12 per $1,000 of assessed value to $6.25 — the original rate — adding an estimated $22 to property tax bills for the median homeowner. The money would help speed up the Land Conservation Initiative, aiming to protect 65,000 acres, including farmland and salmon habitats. King County Parks recently became the largest system in the nation to earn the Salmon-Safe certification. The added money would fully fund future land acquisitions in historically underserved areas, improving access to nature, reducing flood risks and improving the habitats for wildlife. The proposed ballot measure will head to the Metropolitan King County Council, and it will be due for a vote sometime in the summer. If approved, voters will have the final say in the November general election. Learn more about the land conservation initiative in the video below: