Margin of victory on levies a surprise

As executive director of the Seattle Parks Foundation, Karen Daubert knew she would have a board meeting early Wednesday morning. Even though she was co-chair for the $146 million parks-levy campaign, she couldn't predict how the vote would go.

Seattle loves its parks, but could the city's usual willingness to tax itself succumb to worries over the economy?

So Daubert drafted two presentations for the board — one in case the levy passed, and another if it failed.

True to form, Seattle voters on Tuesday chose to tax themselves three different ways — for parks, Pike Place Market and Sound Transit.

While many attributed the strength of presidential candidate Barack Obama's victory to the national economic crisis, fears of financial uncertainty were not apparent in Seattle vote totals.

"We were surprised by the margin that they passed by," Daubert said. "For the parks levy, we kept saying that in tough economic times it's the place that's close to home where people find refuge."

In the last 10 years, Seattle voters have rejected only one city tax measure — a 2003 tax proposed on their beloved lattes to fund day care.

Last year's regional Roads and Transit package, reborn as this year's Sound Transit measure, failed widely in Seattle except in one legislative district.

But overall, Seattle voters can be counted on to raise taxes. Voters have passed levies for road maintenance, education, low-income housing, parks, fire stations.

On Tuesday, they added a $73 million levy to make repairs to Pike Place Market and the parks levy to replace a levy expiring at the end of this year.

A sales-tax increase for Sound Transit also passed by large margins in Seattle.

Property owners would have received a tax break if they had rejected either levy. Now the voter-approved portion of their property-tax bill will remain level next year.

Paul Guppy, vice president for research at the conservative think tank Washington Policy Center, said Seattle voters are generous, but he criticized city leaders as constantly asking them for more.

"They spend routine property-tax money on lower-priority items and then turn to the voters and say, 'Pay additional taxes to provide for essential public amenities,' " he said. Also, "It really hasn't sunk into people how much the economy is going to affect them."

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has already pledged to bring the $86 million low-income-housing levy up for renewal in 2009. His second term ends next year, and he is expected to run for re-election. He has been eyeing 2010 for a measure to fund improvements to Seattle Center.

Nickels, who serves as Sound Transit board chairman, said support for transit reflected residents' frustration with endless debate, and Pike Place succeeded because it was a relatively small amount.

As for parks, which he opposed because he felt Seattle taxpayers needed a break, even he was surprised.

"Parks is remarkable. In a tough economic time the people of our city said we value these highly."

Sharon Pian Chan: 206-464-2958 or schan@seattletimes.com