At today’s Port of Seattle Commission meeting, the Port approved the 2025–2026 Economic Development Partnership Program — allocating up to $1.9 million in funding for economic initiatives in cities throughout King County.
While the Port frames this as a generous regional investment, a closer look reveals a frustrating reality for communities impacted by Sea-Tac Airport:
- The funding is small.
- It comes with strings attached.
- It comes from our own property taxes – not Port revenue.
Paying ourselves — and matching it, too
All this funding comes from the Port’s Property Tax Levy — residents of King County, not by the airport, airlines, or passengers. That includes residents under the flight path who already bear the brunt of noise, pollution, traffic and other negative impacts tied to nonstop expansions like the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP).
And to receive this funding, cities must provide a 50% match. In effect, we are taxing ourselves to fund very tiny economic development efforts, then asking our own cities to match that amount.
A Look at Airport-Impacted Cities
Let’s break it down by nearby cities directly impacted by Sea-Tac Airport:
| City | Port Funding | Key Projects |
|---|---|---|
| SeaTac | $31,740 | Pop-up events at transit hubs to support local business and transit use. |
| Burien | $52,560 | Hotel attraction marketing, holiday events, small biz support, TIF study. |
| Des Moines | $33,260 | Economic Development Plan update for Marina District and Pacific Ridge. |
| Normandy Park | $10,000 | Business mixers and technical assistance workshops. |
| Tukwila | $22,780 | Kent Valley business recruitment and pop-up events focused on equity. |
| Federal Way | $24,908 | Business outreach and promotional media development. |
Combined, these six cities received just $175,000 — less than 10% of the total program funding — even though they face disproportionate airport-related health and environmental impacts.
Project Categories
In 2024, Port grants were distributed as follows:
| Project Type | % of Funding |
|---|---|
| Small Business Assistance | 36.5% |
| Buy Local / Placemaking | 26% |
| Business Attraction | 10% |
| Planning / Feasibility | 9% |
| Tourism | 8% |
| Workforce Development | 8% |
| Business Retention / Expansion | 1% |
Note that none of these improve noise mitigation, air quality, climate resilience, or environmental health — despite overwhelming concerns from airport-impacted communities.
The Bigger Picture
This program has some bright spots — supporting local businesses, fostering partnerships, and offering some cities modest project funding. But none of these benefits come close to representing meaningful compensation for the cumulative toll that Sea-Tac Airport takes on surrounding neighborhoods.
Instead, this is a program where:
- The money comes from our own pockets via property taxes,
- The amount is small, and
- Cities must spend even more just to participate.
If the Port is serious about equity and regional partnership, then the communities most affected by its operations should be at the front of the line for real investments — using the Port’s money, not ours.
Call to action: Appendix K
In the SAMP Draft EA Appendix K, the Port takes pains to point out all the economic benefits it provides to airport communities. Those are the arguments it uses to excuse not only current harms but increased harms from planned expansions. It is up to us to push back on this constant misinformation.
- Read Appendix-K: Socioeconomics, Environmental Justice and Childrens-Health
- Contact your electeds and candidates: This is an election year. Insist that everyone running for office, city, county, state and at the Port, be aware of Appendix K and be willing to hold the Port accountable for not doing more!