Gwen Pilo

By Jack Mayne

There will be no increase by the city in the SeaTac 2021 property tax levy, council decided this week, the seventh year the city has not increased its portion of the tax levy.

Finance Director Gwen Pilo briefed the Council on the realities of the pandemic on the once very financially sound SeaTac budget, sound because it didn’t experience regular drops in income, but that is occurring now because of tax pressures on individual homeowners and the SeaTac business community.

Pilo said the actual levy amount will be determined when the King County assessor certifies the city’s total assessed valuation next month. The property tax levy amount of $17,458,617 based on a rate of $2.46 for each $1,000 of assessed value and no increase over the 2020 levy.

For example, on a $400,000 home, the tax could be $1,015.20 but the Council limits that amount to $985.27.

Street completion, appointments
The Council accepted a staff completion report on connecting 28th and 24th Avenues. Florendo Cabudol said the completed $14.9 million project “allows for a lot of economic opportunity here,” including serving the Des Moines Business Park. Cabudol said the project came in under budget “just under $14.6 million.”

The Council confirmed the mayor’s appointment of Toka Valu to the Arts, Culture and Library Advisory Committee; and Trevor White to the Sidewalk Advisory Committee. It also approved Mayor Sitterley’s Small Business Saturday proclamation.