TagProperty Tax Levy(67)

This is the agenda for the Port of Seattle Commission Regular Meeting held on November 11, 2025, covering routine administrative and financial business including approval of the Port's 2026 budget, property tax levy, and marine stormwater utility rates. The meeting also addresses consent items such as environmental remediation funding, construction contracts, and interlocal agreements. Note that this agenda does not contain specific content related to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.

The Des Moines, Washington City Council held a regular meeting on October 23, 2025, covering several local government matters including a discussion of a City of Burien letter to the Port of Seattle, which relates to regional aviation and airport policy concerns affecting the area surrounding Sea-Tac Airport. Additional agenda items included a warehouse tax collections update, a 2026 property tax levy hearing, and new business items such as the Marina Steps construction contract and franchise agreements. The meeting also addressed a Memorandum of Understanding with King County Metro Transit and an update to the B&O Tax Model Ordinance.

The Port of Seattle is requesting $1.9 million to continue its Economic Development Partnership Program for 2025-2026, which provides grants of $10,000–$60,000 to King County cities for local economic development projects such as small business support, tourism, and workforce development. In 2024, 27 cities participated, leveraging over $637,000 in city matching funds to generate a combined $1.4 million investment across the region. The program, active since 2016, is funded by the Port's property tax levy and requires cities to provide a 50% match to ensure shared commitment to project success.

Washington Senate Bill 5955 would require large port districts operating airports with more than 900 daily flights — such as Sea-Tac — to launch a remedial mitigation program addressing failed soundproofing, air quality, green space, and community facilities in noise-impacted neighborhoods. The bill would fund these programs through a portion of the port's annual property tax levy revenue and establish a state environmental equity fund, managed by the Department of Commerce, to provide grants and loans to qualifying ports. Property owners within ten miles of the airport experiencing 55 decibels or more of aircraft noise would be eligible for free inspections and mitigation equipment, with priority given to homes where previously installed soundproofing has failed.

The Port of Seattle funds its operations primarily through fees, bond proceeds, and operating revenue, with King County property taxes accounting for just 1.2% of all property taxes collected and roughly $78 per year for the median homeowner. The Port's tax levy has historically been directed away from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport itself, instead funding noise mitigation improvements at Highline School District schools near the airport. In 2023, the Port planned to invest $726.8 million in capital projects and $19.1 million across 18 community programs, while managing operating expenses of $573.5 million.