Pierce County Voters Weigh 3-Cent Sales Tax Hike for Bus Expansion

Public transit funding in Pierce County has remained fixed at a 0.6% sales tax rate since 2002. A new measure on the ballot this year proposes raising that rate to 0.9%, adding three cents to every ten dollars spent on sales.

The proposal, known as Proposition 1, aims to expand Pierce Transit operations significantly. Agency officials state the additional revenue would allow for a 47% increase in bus service. This expansion includes extending operating hours, reducing wait times, and creating four new routes.

The tax increase would also make bus rides free for seniors. Pierce Transit plans to use the funds to improve connections to the Tacoma Dome light rail station, which is scheduled for completion in 2035.

Voters have previously rejected similar funding measures. In 2011 and 2012, residents voted against transit tax increases by margins of less than 700 votes. Those defeats led to service cuts and left the agency behind peer systems in other Washington counties.

Laura Svancarek, executive director of Tacoma On the Go, argues the current service level is insufficient for the region's size and growth. She noted that Pierce County anticipates high growth over the next 20 years.

“The level of service we currently have is not sufficient for a city like Tacoma, or a county as large as Pierce County that is anticipating such a high level of growth over the next 20 years,” Svancarek said. She described the current proposal as a major expansion rather than just maintenance, citing improved frequencies and easier transfers.

Kristina Walker, chair of the Pierce Transit Commission and a Tacoma City Council member, warned that a failure to pass the measure will force future service reductions. She stated that costs are rising faster than the agency's current income.

“The agency anticipates those won’t happen tomorrow, but they will over time,” Walker said. “We can’t keep up with inflation, costs are rising faster than our income can keep up with.” Walker added that the county expects about 275,000 more residents by 2044, requiring local transit to catch up with regional growth.

There is no organized opposition campaign for the measure. John Miles, a Tacoma resident, wrote the official statement against the proposal after hearing no other candidates for the role. Miles supports better transit but believes a sales tax is a regressive burden that hits lower-income residents harder.

Miles noted that he would like to take the bus to church on Sundays, but current schedules do not align with his needs. He suggested the agency should lobby the state legislature for less regressive funding options. Supporters counter that the state limits available funding tools and that the proposed tax would not apply to groceries, rent, or medicine.