23-04-2025
Here's how Tacoma's streets initiative measure was faring in Tuesday's election
Voters in Tacoma appear to have rejected a proposal to increase certain taxes to raise money for repairs and improvements to the city's streets, according to the first round of results from Tuesday's special election.
By 8:15 p.m. on election night, 54.05% of voters had voted against the tax hikes, with a roughly 19.17% voter turnout in Tacoma and roughly 200 ballots left to count.
The measure, called Streets Initiative II or Proposition 1, proposed increasing property taxes by 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value and increasing the utility-earnings tax by 2% for natural gas, electric and phone utilities – up from the 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed value and 1.5% utility-earnings tax hikes that voters last approved about 10 years ago.
The tax package that voters likely rejected Tuesday would have been a permanent addition, whereas the two previous tax hikes that voters approved are set to expire in December 2025 and February 2026. Public Works director Ramiro Chavez told The News Tribune in December that the average Tacoma household would have likely paid $6 more per month in property taxes, and $2.13 more per month on utility taxes.
Proponents of the measure argued that it would create jobs and reduce traffic deaths, but opponents have said that the tax hike would hit homeowners hard as property values have increased since the last tax package was passed.
'People are already hurting. It's already hard to buy groceries with all the other taxes that've been added in, all the other fees that we're having to pay,' said Steven Cook, who helped write the statement against Proposition 1 on the ballot.
Cook said he wasn't surprised to see voters turn out to vote against the measure given the rising cost of living.
'People were paying attention to what was written about [the measure], and they're actually thinking about their pocketbooks,' he told The News Tribune on election night.
Kristina Walker, a Tacoma city council member and a member of the Yes on Prop 1 committee, said she was disappointed but also wasn't surprised about the outcome.
'[With] the state of the world right now, we know that people are seeing the news about tariffs, seeing prices go up, so it's not all that surprising that people would make a choice to not support new revenues,' Walker told The News Tribune on Tuesday night. 'There's just a lot of uncertainty out there.'
Yes on Prop 1, also listed with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission as 'Yes to Safer Streets,' reported $23,859.27 in contributions, $37,882.25 in expenditures and $24,406.53 in debt, according to political disclosure data listed Tuesday. Contributions ranged from a maximum of $5,000 from the Seattle-based bike-advocacy nonprofit, Washington Bikes, to a minimum of $50 in individual cash donations. A majority of the campaign's expenses — around $21,000 — was spent on postage for mailers related to the campaign.
In addition to evaluating next steps for the soon-to-expire tax package, Walker said the committee will now have to raise money to cover the committee's debt.
Pierce County elections manager Kyle Haugh said voter turnout in the special election aligned with turnout in most April special elections.
'It's lower than we would obviously like, but not unsurprising for an April election after a presidential year,' he said.
Pierce County officials will release election results again on April 23 and 29 at 4 p.m., and will certify the election on May 2, Haugh said.
