City Council Holds First Reading of Ordinance No. 22-13 to Renew Parks Levy

At the July 5, 2022 City Council meeting, the Council held a first reading of Ordinance No. 22-13 related to the renewal of the parks levy. The Ordinance, if approved, will authorize a special election on November 8, 2022.

The parks levy renewal will fund operations and maintenance of parks, open spaces, and recreation facilities, including Luther Burbank Park, and will fund playground replacements and forest restoration at Pioneer Park and Engstrom Open Space for 16 years. The measure will increase the parks levy from $980,122 in 2022 to $1,629,322 in 2023 and set the maximum City property tax levy rate at $0.862/$1,000 for 2023.

Since 2008, Mercer Island has had a parks levy to pay the costs of operating and maintaining City parks, open spaces, and recreational facilities, including the full costs of operating and maintaining Luther Burbank Park. The current parks levy lid lift was approved by Mercer Island voters in 2008 and is set to expire on December 31, 2023. If the parks levy renewal is approved, the City will end the existing parks levy one year early.

City staff received feedback from the City Council on Ordinance No. 22-13, including specific changes to the ballot language and directed the City Manager to return for a second reading and adoption on July 19, 2022. View materials from the meeting here.