Council considers extending street repair tax
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, July 14th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – The Walla Walla City Council will consider at 7 tonight a resolution authorizing an explanatory statement for a public vote on continuing the transportation benefit district’s 0.2 percent sales tax dedicated to street improvements. The resolution would also appoint committees to author statements both for and against to be published in the voters’ guide.
Voters approved the increase in sales tax in February 2012. It went into effect in July 2012 and expires in June 2022. Voters may extend the existing 0.2 percent sales tax for another 10-year term from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2032. The city has leveraged this TBD funding to obtain over $31 million in grants to complete $52 million of improvements from 2013 through the 2022 construction season.
The council will also consider a supplemental agreement with H.W. Lochner for construction engineering, administration, materials testing, and inspection of the citywide pedestrian safety project in an amount not to exceed $68,751.62.
In spring 2018, the city completed a local road safety plan, which identified and prioritized safety improvements need to reduce fatal and serious injuries at highest priority spot locations and corridors. The plan identified the Poplar Street corridor as the city’s street with the highest number of these incidents. The city has since been working on design, right-of-way services and installation of pedestrian safety improvements at seven separate locations.
Also on the agenda, the council will consider a resolution authorizing an interagency agreement with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to allow the city to respond to wildland fires on DNR protected land and to reimburse costs associated with equipment and personnel on those responses. Plus, the council will consider a resolution authorizing a cooperative fire protection agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service for reciprocal fire protection on properties owned by the federal agency or the city.
The public can attend and participate in this regular meeting by using Zoom. Call 253-215-8782. The meeting ID number is 896 5077 1805. The meeting is also streamed live on the council website.
