King County on Friday (Dec. 16) announced that they are warning of an apparent email scam.

“The county has received calls from people and businesses within and outside of King County, including individuals from other states and countries, who have reported receiving false confirmation of an online property tax payment made through the King County e-commerce system,” reads their website. “These emails were not sent by King County, and the county’s e-commerce system has not been compromised.”

Here’s more from the county:

“It appears that someone copied our standard payment confirmation email and altered the header in the email so that it appears to be from King County,” said County Chief Information Officer Bill Kehoe. “These messages did not come from King County, and the recipients have not made any payments with us.”

Kehoe added that King County’s e-commerce system is safe. “We have robust protections on all of our information technology systems. The email addresses did not come from our database. Residents can rest easy, knowing that their personal information is secure.”

King County encourages everyone to practice safe computing habits. If you have not made a King County tax payment via the online system, but received an email notification from KingCountyEcommerce@kingcounty.gov, delete it, and do not open any attachments.

More information available at the county’s website here.

On the agenda for Monday night’s (Nov. 28) Burien City Council meeting (download the PDF packet here) is a second public hearing on revenue sources and expenditures for the 2011-12 mid-biennial budget, as well as transportation improvement, the comprehensive plan, SMP, re-visiting the King County Library System’s proposed consolidation of two libraries in White Center and much more.

The city will also introduce its new Economic Development Manager, Dan Trimble.

The meeting, which is free and open to the public, starts at 7 p.m. Monday night, Nov. 28th at the Burien City Hall at 400 SW 152nd Street.

Comments from the public are allowed so if you have thoughts on any of the city’s business, this would be the time and place to speak up.

Here’s the city’s public notice about the hearing:

The City of Burien will hold a public hearing on Monday, November 28, 2011, at approximately 7 p.m. for the purpose of: Receiving the publics’ comments on the 2011-2012 Mid-Biennial Budget review and amendments.

Here’s an abridged agenda (we left out some “typical” business items) – you can download the packet for Monday here (PDF file)

• Second Public Hearing on Revenue Sources and Expenditures for 2011-2012 Mid-Biennial Budget Review and Update.
• Presentation on Online Permitting.
• Motion to Adopt Resolution No. 325, Approving the 2012 through 2017 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program.
• Adopting the 2012 Property Tax Levy.
• Follow-Up to Council Questions Regarding 2011-12 Mid-Biennial Budget Modifications.
• Adoption of Ordinance No. 558, Amending the 2011-2012 Biennial Budget.
• Discussion Regarding 2011 Comprehensive Plan Text and Map Amendments.
• Discussion Regarding Forming a Working Group for the Burien Shoreline Master Program.
• Letter to the King County Library System Board of Trustees.
• Review of Council Proposed Agenda Schedule.
• City Business.

For more information, visit the Burien City Council website here.

by Ralph Nichols

Burien lawmakers are poised to approve adjustments to the city’s 2012 budget on Nov. 28, following a second public hearing on next year’s spending plan and property tax levy.

The first public hearing was held at the city council’s Monday night meeting (Nov. 14), at which Burien Finance Director Kim Krause told them there will be no property tax increase in Burien next year.

In fact, a statutory limit on what the city can collect in 2012 will result in a decrease of approximately $467,000 in property tax revenues compared to the current year.

“For the first time in many years, the city will receive less property tax next year than this year,” noted City Manager Mike Martin.

Krause said this will result in a small property tax reduction in Burien, but she could not specify at this time how much it will be.

City council members adopted a 2011-12 biennial budget last year, which included general fund spending of 20,362,411 this year and $20,375,199 next year.

The budget revisions will increase projected 2012 spending by $436,963.

State law requires local governments to adopt their budgets for the following year by Dec. 31.

In addition, Krause presented a proposed policy change to reallocate 90 percent of property tax revenues to the general fund and 10 percent to the Capital Projects Reserve Fund.

The current policy, adopted by the council in 2004, allocates 80 percent of property taxes to the general fund and 20 percent to the Capital Projects Reserve Fund.

Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak expressed concern about shifting an additional 10 percent of property tax revenues to the general fund.

That prompted Councilman Gordon Shaw to “wonder if Councilwoman Krakowiak is asking for a tax increase,” since that allocation is designed to maintain a balanced budget without increased revenue.

Krause said general fund expenditure amendments for 2011 and 2012 total $889,263. These are:

• Reduced salaries and benefits, $211,287.
• Increased red light camera professional services, $428,000.
• Increased SCORE Jail startup expenses, $216,750.
• Increased King County District Court costs, $356,000.
• Increased litigation attorneys’ fees, $125,000.
• Miscellaneous expenses for annexation, $100,000.
• Increased miscellaneous services (voter registration, city newsletter, utilities, city memberships), $74,000.
• Decreased King County Sheriff’s police services contract, $200,000.

General fund revenue amendments include:

• Increased sales tax revenues to reflect 2011 activity, $84,343.
• Decreased utility tax revenues to reflect actual receipts, $997,140.
• Increased permit revenues to reflect 2011 activity, $500,000.
• Increased liquor tax and profits to reflect 2011 activity, $180,000.
• Decreased Seattle City Light revenues to reflect actual results, $300,000.

Total general fund revenue adjustments reflect a decrease of $335,292.

Krause earlier told The B-Town Blog that while Initiative 747 allows local governments annual property tax increases of 1 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less, “the city has received notification from the King County Assessor’s Office that the preliminary assessed valuation [of property in Burien] is 9.23 percent lower than 2011.

“Due to this reduction, the city can only collect the statutory limit of $1.60 [per $1,000 of assessed value], which is approximately $467,000 less than 2011,” Martin said. “As the values of homes go down, people pay less property taxes,” Martin said.

by Ralph Nichols

There will be no property tax increase in Burien in 2012.

The city earlier posted notice of a public hearing at tonight’s (Monday, Nov. 14) council meeting, soliciting comment on a possible property tax increase of up to 1 percent (read our previous coverage here, including a Poll and numerous Comments).

By law, the council must also review the city’s budget midway through the biennium to address any budgetary items that require adjustment.

A public hearing must be held before adoption of a new budget or budget adjustments, including the next year’s property tax.

The council establishes the city’s property tax levy annually, as required by state law, according to Burien Finance Director Kim Krause.

Local governments are limited by Initiative 747 to annual property tax increases of 1 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.

I-747 was approved by voters statewide in 2001, then reinstated by the Legislature after the law was invalidated on a 5-4 decision by the State Supreme Court.

“This year’s inflation rate was 2.755 percent,” Krause noted. “Therefore, the city is limited to a 1 percent property tax increase, which is approximately $71,135.”

But, she continued, “the city has received notification from the King County Assessor’s Office that the preliminary assessed valuation [of property in Burien] is 9.23 percent lower than 2011.

“Due to this reduction, the city can only collect the statutory limit of $1.60 [per $1,000 of assessed value], which is approximately $467,000 less than 2011. Ordinance 557 adopts the Property Tax Levy.”

“As the values of homes go down, people pay less property taxes,” City Manager Mike Martin said. “As a result, the city will get about half a million dollars in revenue next year.”

Property values and mill rates – a unit of measure used in calculating property taxes – are like a teeter totter, he continued.

When values go up the mill rate goes down, and when values to down, the mill rate goes up. This year, that formula puts the city at the $1.60 per $1,000 cap.

“We can’t tax above that,” Martin said.

In 2010, the city “did have the ability to increase our property tax by 1 percent, but the council chose not to do it. The council felt that because the recession was hard on everybody, they should do something symbolic that recognized times were tough for everyone.”

Martin said for a house valued at $335,000 – the average value of a home in Burien – a 1 percent property tax increase would be 38 cents a month, or $4.56 annually.

Compared to what a 1 percent property tax increase would cost Burien homeowners, Highline School District voters renewed and increased in February a six-year operation and maintenance levy, which costs about $150 a month for an average home.

The City of Burien will be holding a public hearing on a possible 1% property tax increase as well as other revenue sources at 7pm on Monday, Nov. 23rd, and the public is invited to participate.

The hearing will take place in the city’s council chambers, located on the first floor of the new city hall at 400 SW 152nd Street.

Anyone concerned about possible tax increases is encouraged to come speak up – this is your opportunity to let your city council know how you feel about this.

Here are the details:

WHAT:  Public Hearing by the City of Burien for the purpose of:

• Receiving the publics’ comments on revenue sources, including a possible up to a 1% increase in property tax revenue, and expenditures for the 2009-2010 Mid-Biennial Budget review and amendments.

WHEN: Monday, Nov. 23rd at 7pm

WHERE: Burien Council Chambers (1st floor) at 400 SW 152nd Street.

INFO: Copies of the 2009-2010 Mid-Biennial Budget Review are available and can be obtained by calling the Finance Department at (206) 439-3150.

Sign language and communication in alternate format can be arranged given sufficient notice.  Please contact the City Clerk’s office at (206) 248-5517.

To review pertinent documents, try searching through the city’s Document Center here.

A PDF of the public notice is available for downloading here (PDF file).

To The Editor of the B-town Blog:

On October 29, 2009; The Seattle Times ran a story on the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1 that is currently on the November ballot. When the reporter asked why a vehicle tax was being used, the mayor of Burien (McGilton) said that “A property tax wasn’t considered out of respect for Burien’s relatively conservative voters, less affluent than in levy happy Seattle”. However, eight days prior to that story, McGilton and the city had done the opposite and sent a news release to the local newspapers and the B-town Blog announcing a Public Hearing on Nov. 9th to solicit public comments on a proposed, increased property tax (of up to 1%) for Burien. Before voting on Tuesday, November 3rd, every citizen in Burien should question what the heck is really going on.

When I attended the July City of Burien Council Meeting/Public Hearing on the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1 (for sidewalks and bike paths), I didn’t plan on writing the statement against the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1. However when no information was presented to the public about: the project costs, the amount to be collected from this tax, what other grants/sources could help with the projects, how much these project streets were actually used, I was frustrated. There were no sketches/diagrams of what the finished work might look like. The City quoted statistics from a 2008 Burien Citizen Survey that were inaccurate.

Citizens asked questions. The City didn’t answer. After the Public Hearing, the Council immediately voted to put the Vehicle Tax on the November ballot. In depressed economic times, the City was asking citizens to rubber stamp a new tax.

The City stated at the Hearing the tax will last two years. That is not true. Under the rules for Transportation Benefit Districts, the tax remains in place until the project is completed and paid for. The City does not have the authority to promise otherwise.

The City had not surveyed the use patterns of the project areas. Both 8th Ave and South 136th have light use by both pedestrians and bikes. Only 13% of the respondents to the 2008 Burien Citizen Survey who live in these areas thought there was a need to improve sidewalks and bike paths.

Some of the endorsers/supporters of the tax can’t answer basic questions about the tax. Many of the endorsers do not live in Burien and will not be paying the tax. The campaign signs are being funded by a legislator from Vashon Island and her aide. In the Seattle Times article, McGilton referred to this vehicle tax as a “good test case”. So, what’s up?

Joe Fitzgibbons suggested on the Transportation Choices Coalition website that this is a trial balloon to see if Burien can get residents to vote for this type of a tax. Other cities in the state are watching to see if they can use the same strategy to get new taxes from their residents. I’m not happy to be part of this trial balloon experiment. What am I being tested for? Is it to see if the City of Burien can get a $25 Vehicle Tax and then impose a property tax increase as well on its citizens?

Burien is one of the highest taxed cities in King County. I strongly urge the citizens of Burien to vote “NO” against Proposition 1/$25 Burien Vehicle Tax or other new taxes until Burien improves how it presents the need for new taxes to its citizens.

- Chestine Edgar

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