The Details

Paying More for Less

This Proposition 1 is estimated to cost each household 73% more than the 2019 pool bond proposition, which was defeated by the voters (presumably for costing too much), for a project that is significantly reduced in scope from the 2019 proposal.

The 2019 Pool Bond Issue, which was defeated by the voters, was estimated by the City to cost the median-valued household $244 per year, for the life of the bond issue (~20 years). That proposal was for a 75,000 square foot facility that included a senior center, a commercial kitchen, a gym, an indoor track, weight rooms as well as pool facilities. (It also included improvements to four City parks. Those improvements were later rolled into the 2022 Bond Issue, for which the median-valued household is currently paying $144 per year.)

This year's Park District proposition is estimated by the City to cost the median-valued household $421 per year in perpetuity. The current proposal is for a 48,000 square foot facility, with no senior center, no kitchen, no gym, no track, and no weight rooms.

Low-Income Seniors, Disabled, and Veterans Will Be Hit Particulary Hard by These New Taxes

Note also that these new taxes will hit low-income Seniors, Veterans, and Disabled Persons particularly hard. While Senior Citizens, Disabled Persons, and Disabled Veterans meeting age, income, and/or disability requirements would have been eligible for exemption or deferral from the taxes for the 2019 bond issue, those exemptions or deferrals will not apply to the taxes created by this year's Proposition 1.

(The reason for this is that the new Metropolitan Park District will be a "Junior Taxing District", while the exemptions called out in RCW 84.36.381 only apply to "Regular Taxing Districts" and "Excess Levies". The taxes to service the 2019 bond issue would have been an "Excess Levy".)

The Details

Paying More for Less

The current Proposition 1 includes plans only for a 48,000-square-foot aquatic center. The City estimates that it will cost the median-valued household $421 per year in new taxes.

The 2019 Bond Issue, which was defeated by the voters (presumably for being too expensive), included plans for a 75,000-square-foot facility, including not just a pool, but also a gym, weight rooms, indoor track, commercial kitchen, and senior center. It also included funding for improvements to four City parks. That was estimated to cost the median-valued household just $244 per year.

(The Park improvements that were included in the failed 2019 Pool bond issue were later included in the 2022 Park Bond issue for which the median-valued household is currently paying $144/year.)

The Details

The tax exemptions and deferrals spelled out in RCW 84.36.381 only apply to "Regular Taxing Districts" and "Excess Levies". Metropolitan Park Districts are "Junior Taxing Districts", so they fall under neither of those classifications. There are no exemptions or deferrals that will apply to the new and significant taxes created by this 2026 Proposition 1.

The Details

For the gory details, you may read more about the mechanics of how Metropolitan Park Districts (MPD) work here. (Keep in mind that the article is written by the MRSC, an organization whose purpose is in large part to advise Cities as to how they may increase their revenue.)

Really Just a Loophole

The Metropolitan Park District as proposed by this year's Proposition 1 is really just a loophole to create another revenue stream for the City.

The Proposition states that the board of the new Park District will consist ex officio of the City Council:

Section 1: Metropolitan Park District. The Shoreline City Council proposes that a metropolitan park district be created; that the district be called the "Shoreline Metropolitan Park District;" that its boundaries be the same as the Shoreline corporate limits; and that the Shoreline City Council serve as the ex officio board of commissioners.

The City's plans are that the Park District will sign its new tax revenues over to the City, with the City taking responsibility for constructing, maintaining, and operating the new pool. From the "packet" written for the 2026 City Council Strategic Planning session on March 6 & 7, 2026:

If moving forward with a ballot measure to create an MPD, staff recommend that revenue generated by the MPD be passed through to the City to include in the City’s budget to build, run, and maintain a pool facility. Staff further recommend that Councilmembers serve as the MPD commissioners in an ex officio capacity. As two separate entities, the MPD and the City would sign a service agreement that outlines terms for revenue generated by the MPD to be passed through to the City. The MPD would not have any direct employees.

The Details

At the June 22, 2015 City Council meeting, Eric Friedli, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director, reviewed the history of the pool, its characteristics, attendance trends, revenues and expenses. He reviewed scenarios to keep the pool operating through 2022 and 2035. He stated staff is recommending moving the pool master planning from 2018 to 2016 and performing it in conjunction with the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) planning. He estimated it would cost $745,000 to keep the pool open through 2022 and $3.1 million to keep it open through 2035. He stated staff’s recommendation is to keep the pool open through 2022. He reviewed status quo operation of the pool, implementation of all long-term recommendations, funding costs, and provided examples of pool improvements from other jurisdictions.

You may read the details in the agenda item for that meeting, as well as in the slides for Mr. Friedli's presentation.