Voters in Chehalis overwhelmingly approved the renewal of an existing 0.2% sales tax that will benefit transportation projects in the city.
Preliminary results from the 2026 general election show overwhelming support for the approval of the Chehalis Transportation Benefit District (TBD) sales tax, which was first implemented with voter support in 2017 and will now continue for another 10 years through 2037.
As of Wednesday morning, the vote tally showed 1,602 ballots cast in support of the sales tax renewal, representing 72.95% of those counted Tuesday evening.
A total of 594 ballots were cast to reject the renewal of the local sales tax, representing 27.05% of those counted.
The Chehalis City Council voted unanimously to put the measure on the ballot back in July. The Chehalis Transportation Benefit District is a pool of money funded solely through the local sales tax renewed this week. It is controlled by the City of Chehalis.
Cities are permitted to use such benefit districts by Washington state law; however, the funding must be approved by voters and the funds can only be used to fund transportation-related projects that are on a city’s six-year traffic improvement plan.
When discussing the measure over the summer, city staff informed the Chehalis City Council that the district had collected $11.2 million over the last 10 years.
Using at least some of that money for matching funds for transportation-related grants also brought in $12.9 million in outside funding for local transportation projects.
Altogether, that is approximately $24.1 million put toward transportation projects in Chehalis over the last 10 years.
Funding has so far supported improvements to Northwest Pacific Avenue, pedestrian safety along Southwest 13th Street and planning for the ongoing downtown rejuvenation project.
In the near future, it is expected to also be used to improve sidewalks and other paths essential for local safe routes to school.
The City of Centralia received the backing of voters for 10 more years of funding from its own transportation benefit district one year ago.
