Kent, Wash. — Kent's City Council is considering a proposal to raise solid waste taxes by 18.3 percent to raise about $3 million to pay for road repairs across the city. The city said it needs $12 million a year to maintain its roads.
"You have to pay for the basic services no matter what they want their garbage picked up they want to use the street in essence it's kind of like a user fee," said Tim LaPorte, Kent Public Works director.
LaPorte said about 20 percent of the city's 320 miles of road are "failing."
"When you've got grass growing in the cracks, it's basically beyond repair," said LaPorte.
Right now, residents pay $18.37 a month, which includes a 7.8 percent utility tax. If the tax hike is approved, about 26,000 customers could pay $20.75 a month, for a 32-gallon weekly pickup of trash, as well as recycling, and yard waste.
"We're one of the lowest rates in South King County," said LaPorte.
In comparison, for the same services, customers in Tukwila pay $19.13 a month, customers in Renton pay $21.12 a month, customers in Maple Valley pay $24.76 a month, customers in Burien pay $26.04 a month, customers in Auburn pay $27.49 a month, and customers in Seattle pay $31.05 a month.
Karen Talcott is on disability and a fixed income, and said even a few dollars more a month will be hard for her family.
"It's gonna be hard it's gonna be hard I'm not sure how we're going to deal with it," said Talcott.
However, she does agree the roads are in dire need of repair.
"It'd be nice if the roads lived up to the view of what we're trying to show Kent as, not just a slum area but a beautiful area people wanna come to and visit and live in," said Talcott.
The council could vote on the changes on Oct. 6. If approved, the new higher utility taxes could hit customers by January. New street repairs will be made next summer.
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