Pullman City Council convened on Tuesday to hear from community members on a proposed sales tax hike intended to fund transportation improvements.
Councilors heard from one resident, Jamie Brush, in support of the possible 0.1% sales tax increase after a portion of regular agenda items had closed and public comment opened.
Jamie Brush, Pullman resident and founder of the non-profit Synergy Bicycle Alliance, said she supports the tax raise because improving the safety of pedestrian and bicycle paths have been neglected in the past.
This increase would correlate with Pullman’s already-enacted Complete Streets Policy, she said.
“[It] emphasizes the need for safe, efficient, convenient, reliable and equitable access for all transportation modes, including pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists,” said Brush.
The sales tax increase is made possible through Pullman’s Transportation Benefit District, which councilors created last April after dealing with a backlog of street maintenance requests, according to Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
The district is a governmental organization run by council members that focuses on fundraising for transportation and infrastructure improvements. However, Pullman’s TBD was created without an initial revenue source.
In hopes of adding another source of revenue, the district is allowed to raise the sales tax by 0.1% without voter approval under state law. That means Pullman’s current 7.9% sales tax would increase to 8%. A 0.2% increase would have to be approved by voters, though this is not something the city is currently considering, according to the meeting agenda.
With one of the lowest sales tax rates in the state, council member Pat Wright said she is intrigued by the potential increase to keep up with the rate of inflation.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of inflation has risen almost 4% in the last year.
The 0.1% increase would bring around $520,000 annually for transportation improvements, according to council documents. These funds would contribute to the city’s five-year $83 million Transportation Improvement Plan.
“[It would] preserve, maintain and operate the existing transportation infrastructure,” said council member Carla de Lira. “I think we definitely need the tax increase to help invest in our roads and build sidewalks where we need them, and to also support our public transportation system.”
City Administrator Mike Urban said he would be back before the council on Sept. 24 with an agenda item for more discussion and possible action on the tax increase, but no action was taken during Tuesday’s meeting.
If the sales tax increase is approved, it will take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
