Seattle Votes on Transit Tax Amid Budget Tensions | Seattle News

Seattle voters face a pivotal decision in November: approve a 0.3% sales tax hike to fund expanded bus service—especially evenings and weekends—with the mayor touting 100,000 extra trips and 22,000 free passes for low-income riders. But as the city grapples with a $175 million deficit, Councilmember Bob Kettle warns against adding more taxes, urging smarter spending, service cuts outside core functions, and a review of the payroll tax to broaden the base and lower the rate—without sacrificing revenue. The mayor’s office is still crafting a response as the city braces for a tense budget season. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/7d12d3921b9dd226