Supervisor Jane Hague was the sole “no” during today’s vote by the King County Flood Control Zone District to levy a property tax assessment of 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation for flood prevention measures in King County.

“Due to the fact that my district will export the second largest amount of tax dollars to help fund the countywide flood district, I cannot support a levy as high as 10 cents per thousand of assessed valuation,” said Supervisor Hague. “An opposing voice had to be registered against the double taxation for cities whose projects aren’t high on the flood levy project list but have already spent millions to fix more minor flooding problems within their jurisdictions.”

The King County Flood Hazard Management Plan developed by County Executive Ron Sims called for flood prevention measures that will cost an estimated $335 million over ten years. The Executive in his 2008 budget proposed funding the project list with a property tax assessment of 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, raising about $32 million per year for levee repairs. The same rate was recommended on Sept. 17 by the Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee, a 15-member body of citizens and local mayors and city councilmembers from across the county.

“I sponsored an amendment for a reduced levy amount of 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation for flood prevention measures and a second tier assessment for areas directly affected by flooding,” said Supervisor Hague. “I believe this approach would have provided a regional responsiveness to flooding that addresses economic impacts while requesting that property owners who choose to be in the flood plain pay for that risk.

“The opportunity fund carved out within the flood levy allows for smaller jurisdictions to compete for a minor portion of the flood levy funds. This is a good start but I believe it is not enough. My vote today was not a vote against flood and other disaster preparedness; it was a vote against the level of taxation to be imposed on cities that may not directly benefit from the tax.”

All 9 members of the King County Council sit as the King County Flood Control Zone District (FCZD) Board of Supervisors. The Council created the FCZD on April 16 with the responsibility to reduce the likelihood of future flood disasters by fixing the county’s failing flood protection facilities.

King County has more than 25,000 acres within the mapped, 100-year floodplain, or more than 40-square miles. The FCZD replaces 12 separate districts created to address areas of localized flooding, with little or no coordination between them. The FCZD assumed the implementation the 2007 budget and work plan adopted by the one district which did have a budget, the subsequently-dissolved Green River Flood Control Zone District.