Dan Anderson, stopped by to talk with Trae Holiday, host of The Day with Trae, about Mayor Harrell’s proposal for a $1.35B transportation levy in Seattle. Anderson is the Public Engagement Manager and Levy Renewal Communications Manager for the Seattle Department of Transportation.

Anderson's interest in transportation began at a young age while growing up in the Portland area, a city known for its bridges. 

Beginning his public service journey as an intern in the U.S. Anderson transitioned to roles within the Mayor's office in Portland, serving as a Public Advocate and later taking on responsibilities as acting Communications Director and Press Secretary. He played a role in advocating for and promoting various initiatives in Portland, including the bike program, streetcar expansion, safety measures, budgeting, and long-term planning efforts.

“I've worked with the City of Portland, with King County, and now at the City of Seattle for many years,” Anderson said. “My career led me to do public engagement work and communications. And so that's been my specialty and focus for many years, and always in transportation. I never really thought that it would end up being my career, but it has, and I love it.”

Anderson explained that Mayor Harrell proposed a $1.35 billion Transportation Levy aimed at ensuring the safety, reliability, and connectivity of Seattle's transportation system. The proposal intends to fund the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) for the maintenance and modernization of existing infrastructure, the delivery of major projects, and the improvement of neighborhood connections across the city.

“The city of Seattle is the steward of the city streets and the bridges,” Anderson said. “We have a really large, complex, expensive system that we're maintaining, managing, operating and building out, we build a lot of projects in Seattle. A lot of folks, a lot of your viewers and listeners probably have experienced some of the construction around town.”

This system includes numerous projects aimed at improving transportation infrastructure, such as road repairs and expansions. Funding for these projects comes from various sources, with the transportation levy playing a significant role. The levy is a property tax imposed on property owners in Seattle, providing essential revenue for the city's transportation budget. Roughly 30% of the annual spending on transportation projects and programs is funded through this levy.

“It's really important to us as far as how we deliver all those goods and services, through our projects or programs,” Anderson said. “All the maintenance work that we do, it doesn't pay for 100% of all that work. But it's such a large part, that it's become really about delivering basic services for everyone in Seattle.”

The levy serves as a funding mechanism for Seattle's transportation infrastructure, supporting various projects aimed at improving roads, bridges, sidewalks, and public spaces. The current levy, known as the Levy to Move Seattle, was implemented 18 years ago as a local property tax initiative. It is set to expire at the end of 2020. Projects funded by this levy will continue despite its expiration, with ongoing initiatives such as the construction of a new RapidRide line on East Lake Avenue and the completion of improvements on Madison Street.

“What we want to make sure that we do for the public, for the small business community is provide a renewal opportunity so that that steady dependable stream of funding doesn't go away so that there's an opportunity for the public and potential voters to consider it,” Anderson said. “So what we looked at was the condition of the whole system and community input.”

The renewal of the transportation levy signifies an opportunity for Seattle to address the evolving transportation needs of its growing population. Over the past two years, Anderson said the city has engaged in deep community outreach to gather input on priorities for transportation projects. This input will inform the development of the renewed levy, ensuring that it aligns with the desires and needs of Seattle residents.

The proposed levy aims to address historical disinvestment in communities of color in Seattle. Over the years, there has been a recognized pattern of more affluent and predominantly white neighborhoods receiving greater funding and resources. The levy seeks to rectify this imbalance by directing resources towards projects that benefit historically marginalized communities.

“It would be our largest levee in Seattle,” Anderson said. “The spending programs are many, there's a lot of different programs and projects that we're saying would be funded with this levee renewal. Specifically for Black and Brown residents in Seattle, we've been making sure that our input through community engagement through conversations has been equitable, and looking at our foundations of racial and social justice.” 

One example of a project highlighted in the proposal is the redevelopment of Del Ridgeway Southwest and South Delridge. This project included rebuilding streets, improving sidewalks, installing more crosswalks, and enhancing safety measures such as beacons for pedestrian crossings. Anderson pointed out that collaboration with King County Metro led to the creation of the RapidRide H line, providing improved public transit access from downtown Seattle to Burien through neighborhoods like White Center and Delridge.

“What we're trying to do with these funding sources is to rectify those patterns and to make strides for communities of color,” Anderson said. “Part of that looks like just using an equity lens to figure out where the work gets done. Taking away old approaches that don't work, like you don't want to be 100% complaint-driven, otherwise, the people with the loudest voices get the most resources. So really taking a systemic approach at how we can be equitable and how the money goes out the door.”

The next steps for the renewal plan involve community outreach and engagement efforts to gather input and inform residents about the proposed levy. The city is prioritizing accessibility by providing information in nine languages and engaging immigrant and refugee communities. Outreach efforts will include tabling events at locations like farmers markets and transit stops, as well as briefings with community-based organizations.

These engagement activities will continue until April 26, with the aim of gathering diverse perspectives and avoiding overextending community involvement. Following this period, Mayor Harrell will use the input received to finalize the proposal, which will then be presented to the Seattle City Council for consideration, expected to take place in May. Community conversations at the council level are anticipated to occur in May and June, with the possibility of the council deciding to put the levy renewal on the ballot in June or July.

“When we're traveling within this neighborhood, we want stops at important community locations,” Anderson said. “I remember having a conversation with a gentleman who wanted us to install a new crosswalk. At the bus stop, he said, ‘I've got to get across the street to get to the bus safely, and you've got to help me get there.’ And so we did, we added that to the project.” 

For more information visit seattle.gov/transportation/levy. 

To hear more about current events in Seattle, tune in to Trae every weekday at 11 am on all Converge Media platforms and The Day With Trae YouTube Channel.