Vote Yes to Renew King County Parks Levy
On August 6, King County voters will be asked to renew King County Prop. 1 Aka the King County Parks Levy. The Levy will raise $810 million over 6 years to keep King County’s parks, trails, and natural areas clean, safe and open; make smart investments in regional trails and new green spaces; and offer grants to support more equitable access to the outdoors for all county residents. We fully endorse the Levy and have put together some reasons you should too.
What is in the Parks Levy?
The Parks Levy will raise $810 million over the next 6 years to:
- Keep existing parks and trails clean, safe and open
- Make parks and green space more accessible to all residents
- Improve regional trails and mobility
- Grow and connect regional open spaces
It will cost the owner of a $500,000 home approximately $7.63 per month, or $93 per year.
Learn more about the Levy.
What else does the Levy do?
Supports the Greenway
Some Greenway projects in the 2020-2025 levy include:
- Design and development of missing trail connections along Eastrail (Eastside Rail Corridor), Lake to Sound Trail, and Green River Trail Extension North
- Trail repair on East Lake Sammamish Trail and Green to Cedar River Trail
- Ballfield turf replacement for Preston Ballfield and Redmond Ridge.
- Improvements to the trailhead parking and signage at Rattlesnake Mountain
- Infrastructure maintenance at Marymoor Park and Skyway Park, including improvements to pathways, roofs, fencing, and electrical systems
- Restoration of play area equipment at Marymoor Park, Maplewood Park, and Big Finn Hill Park
- Backcountry trails maintenance at Taylor Mountain Forest, Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, and Tolt MacDonald Park
Learn more about the extent of the projects in our blog.
Triples the pace of new park acquisitions
One of the most exciting parts of the Parks Levy is the investment of $120,000,000 in acquisition of new parks and green spaces. This funding will help to triple the pace of new park acquisition across the County, and give a major boost to the King County Land Conservation Initiative. The LCI seeks to protect 65,000 acres of the last best forests, farmlands, parks, trails, river corridors and urban green spaces within a generation, ensuring that our rapidly growing population will continue to benefit from access to the outdoors.
Learn more about the Land Conservation Initiative.
Makes outdoor access more equitable
While it feels like we are surrounded by a wealth of outdoor opportunities, not all communities and not all residents in King County are able to access parks, trails or open spaces where they live. The Parks Levy will help to improve equitable access to the outdoors by making more than $100,000,000 in grants available to cities and community groups. These grants will support the creation of parks and open spaces in communities that are lacking, and also support programming and improvements that make existing parks more accessible to more residents.
Learn more about the Open Space Equity Cabinet that is guiding these efforts.
Invests in a healthy future
Science is proving what many of us have known for a long time – being outdoors and connecting with nature makes you happier and healthier. In fact, just 20 minutes in a park can make a positive difference in your health and well-being.
Register to vote
If you aren’t already registered to vote in King County, there’s still time. The deadline for voter registration is July 29. Learn more about eligibility and how to register.
