The Centralia City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution to place the renewal of the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) sales and use tax on the ballot for the November general election for an additional 10 years of collection.
Voters approved the .02% tax in November 2015 to fund city operations and maintenance projects, and the TBD has addressed local transportation needs that are not funded by other existing sources. It is limited to critical repairs.
The tax is not a new tax and would not raise taxes. Centralia’s current tax rate is 8.4%, up from 8.2% as of April 1 due to Lewis County’s 911 tax, which was approved by voters last year.
Nearly $8 million has been collected since the city began collecting TBD funds in 2016, with 60% going toward operations and maintenance costs and the remaining 40% supporting transportation project matching funds.
City Public Works Director Kim Ashmore explained that the TBD has helped the city leverage matching funds for grants. From 2016 through 2024, he said matching funds of $1.3 million leveraged $6.9 million in grants.
During a March presentation to the council, City Engineer Patty Page said four examples of major projects coming from matching funds include the reconstruction of South Gold Street, Harrison Avenue from High Street to Main Street, Harrison Avenue from Johnson Road to Galvin Road, and asphalt paving of Galvin Road. The four projects cost a total of $5.47 million, but the city only had to pay a total of $866,744 because of the TBD matching grant funding.
The TBD sales and use tax measure was approved in November 2015 with 1,396 voters, or 58.68%, voting to approve and 983 voters, or 41.32%, against.
Potential TBD funds would support a couple of projects in 2025, including stage one of the Westside Connector project to widen North Scheuber Road between Galvin and Mt. Vista roads, student safety enhancements for Washington and Oakview elementaries, and asphalt paving on First Street between Harrison Avenue and North Pearl Street.
To read more about the TBD and its uses, visit previous Chronicle reporting at https://tinyurl.com/kdct479m.
