Spokane Transit Proposition 1
Proposition 1 will fund more than 25 projects to support public transit in our region.
On November 8, 2016, voters approved Spokane Transit Authority (STA) Proposition 1, authorizing an increase in local sales and use tax of up to 0.2% to help maintain, improve and expand public transit in Spokane Transit’s service area.
To read STA’s public education brochure about Proposition 1, click here.
Connect people to services.
Better access to community
More trips and improved connections throughout the region with new routes to:
- hospitals and health centers
- job sites
- schools and universities
- retail and other destinations
Featured Projects: New services in Spokane Valley on East Indiana will connect patients to medical services like the Providence Medical Park.
Improvements to 7 regional corridors
Better transit service in the region’s busiest corridors helps commuters get to work and home more conveniently:
- more frequent trips and extended hours of operations
- more services like real-time departure signs and shelters
- improved travel flow with more cars
off the road
Featured Projects: 2 new express commuter routes will connect Liberty Lake and Moran Prairie to downtown Spokane.
Connect workers to jobs.
Partner in advancing regional economic development.
25% more services across the region
New business growth will be supported with streamlined operations, new routes, and faster connections:
- more service during peak hours
- new and improved transit centers
- shorter travel times for long-distance commutes
Featured Projects: To support new business growth, STA will construct a West Plains Transit Center to improve service to Airway Heights, Medical Lake and Cheney, and add a 6-mile Bus Rapid Transit route (the Central City Line) to connect Spokane Community College, Gonzaga, the University District and Browne’s Addition to Downtown Spokane.
Now that Proposition 1 is approved, STA will receive up to an additional two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) of local sales tax. This means that for every ten-dollar retail purchase, STA will receive up to an additional two cents in sales tax. For the average household in Spokane County, this would be an impact of about $2 a month or $24 a year. Proposition 1 has no impact on property taxes. The tax increase will take effect in phases:
- A one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) increase in local sales tax effective April 1, 2017
- A second one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) increase effective April 1, 2019
- Both sales tax increases expire no later than December 31, 2028 unless renewed by voters
How each dollar received will be spent:
$0.44
EXPAND
Bring transit service to new areas and additional park and ride lots.
$0.33
IMPROVE
Increase service frequency and extend hours of service.
$0.23
MAINTAIN
Replace buses that have reached the end of their useful life.
Your Questions Answered
If approved by voters, Spokane Transit would:
- Maintain the existing transit system by replacing buses and vans at the end of their useful life
- Improve fixed-route bus service with higher frequency, more passenger conveniences like shelters and real-time schedule information, and extended hours on weekends
- Expand transit service to new areas and construct new and enhanced park and ride lots
In total, more than 25 projects throughout the region are planned. Examples include:
- Extended Saturday evening bus service past 11 p.m. system-wide
- Direct bus service between Airway Heights and Cheney, Logan and Lincoln Heights, and Spokane Valley Mall and Greenacres
- Non-stop bus service between Liberty Lake and Downtown Spokane during peak hours
- Bus Rapid Transit (the Central City Line) between Spokane Community College, Gonzaga, the University District, Downtown Spokane and Browne’s Addition
- Night and weekend bus service to Indian Trail
- Four new and expanded transit centers to allow more connections outside of Downtown Spokane
- Bus and van replacement at the end of their useful life
If approved by voters, some new services would be available as early as May 2017. Those projects include:
- New service on East Indiana in Spokane Valley to Providence Medical Park
- Night and weekend service on North Nevada
- More frequent service in Airway Heights during peak travel hours
- Late-night service on Saturdays
The remaining maintenance, improvement and expansion projects would happen over the next decade throughout Spokane County’s transit service area.
In April 2015, STA proposed a similar ballot measure, Proposition 1. STA incorporated feedback from voters and consequently, the ballot measure in November 2016 will:
- Ask for a smaller tax increase
- Create a quicker timeline for new services throughout the region
- Apply the tax increase in phases over a 3-year period
Funding from taxes
If this proposition is approved by voters, STA will receive up to an additional two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) of local sales tax. This means that for every ten-dollar retail purchase, STA would receive up to an additional two cents in sales tax.
For the average household in Spokane County, this would be an impact of about $2 a month or $24 a year. The tax increases would take effect in phases:
- A one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) increase in local sales tax effective April 1, 2017
- A second one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) increase effective April 1, 2019
- Both sales tax increases expire no later than December 31, 2028 unless renewed by voters
Funding from other sources
If approved by voters, Proposition 1 would enable STA to match local tax dollars with funding from two other sources:
- Increased revenue from more riders using STA’s services
- Competitive state and federal grants
That means that for every $1 dollar generated in sales tax, STA could match up to 54 cents to fund the STA Moving Forward plan.
Planned fare increases will also provide additional revenue from STA riders.
Spokane Transit assures nondiscrimination in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information, visit SpokaneTransit.com. All phone numbers are accessible for people who are deaf or hearing impaired through Relay 711. Upon request, alternative formats of this document will be produced for people who are disabled. Call (509) 325‑6094 or email smillbank@spokanetransit.com.
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