Burien voters will have an opportunity to decide on funding public safety in Burien on their November 2025 general election ballot.
To best align with community priorities, the "Levy Lid Lift for Public Safety" measure (City of Burien Proposition No. 1) was developed after more than two years of community engagement, research and planning by City of Burien staff, and presentations to the Burien City Council.
The three priorities identified by the community are exactly what is reflected on the ballot:
- Preserve and expand police co-response model to address homelessness, mental health crisis, and public use of drugs
- Maintain the current level of police staffing and hire additional police officers to support co-response teams, increase patrols throughout the city, and support community crime prevention programs
- Create safer streets and sidewalks through improvements to infrastructure and additional street lighting
The text of the measure reads:
Proposition No. 1 Levy Lid Lift for Public Safety
To fund public safety, including police staffing, co-response programs, and safer streets and sidewalks, the Burien City Council passed Ordinance 874. This measure increases the City’s regular property tax levy not to exceed $0.95/$1,000 to a maximum rate not to exceed $1.90/$1,000 for 2026; and sets the limit factor for the City’s total regular property tax levy for 2027-2031 to 6%. Exemptions apply to seniors, veterans, and others as described in RCW 84.36.381.
Should this proposition be approved:
Explanatory Statement
If approved, this proposition authorizes the City of Burien (“the City”) to increase its regular property tax levy for public safety services and operations, in excess of the limitation established in RCW 84.55.010, beginning in 2026. Any funds collected from this levy lift would be held by the City in its own special revenue fund. The City is proposing this levy to address rising public safety costs averaging 5 to 8 percent annually, while property tax revenues only increase by one percent annually. Without additional funding, the City will be unable to sustain current service levels or address growing public safety needs.
Levy funds would support preserving and expanding the police co-response model to address homelessness, mental health crisis, and public use of drugs; maintaining the current level of police staffing and hiring additional police officers to support co-response teams, increase patrols throughout the city, and support community crime prevention programs; creating safer streets and sidewalks through improvements to infrastructure and additional street lighting.
The initial average levy rate increase is estimated to be approximately $0.79519/$1,000 of assessed property value or, for a home with an assessed value of $596,000, approximately $39.50 per month (or $473.90 per year). Homeowners who are 62 years or older, or disabled and meet low-income requirements, may qualify for a property tax exemption as described in RCW 84.36.381.