Voters to decide fate of low-income housing
SEATTLE -- Come November, the city's voters will decide whether to approve a $145 million levy for new low-income housing.
The big issue for opponents is how much the proposed levy will cost taxpayers.
Jeanne Williamson lives at the Jubilee Women's Center on Capitol Hill. She fled a violent relationship in Chicago and came here with $10 in her pocket.
"It could have been very bad trouble," she said. "I wouldn't have had my own place to sleep. I wouldn't have had my own clothes. Even hygiene would have been difficult."
Williamson was lucky. The place she lives is the result of a soon-to-expire Seattle housing levy.
Anna Markee says if the levy goes away, there will be many other like Williamson who will suffer.
"We'd have more children sleeping in cars. We'd see more seniors and people with disabilities who are struggling to get by, who might not have a place to live," said the supporter of the levy.
Markee and the city says the answer is a new housing levy -- Proposition 1.
If approved, Prop. 1 would cost the typical homeowner about $65 a year, which is a $24 jump from the current rate.
The seven-year levy totals $145 million. The last one, approved seven years ago, raised $86 million. The increase is too big fro some critics.
"It's a 68-percent tax increase in the middle of a recession," said Kirk Robbins. "And you don't raise taxes in the middle of a recession."
Robbins says he'd support a smaller levy.
But for Markee, the problem is inflation.
"We are actually providing the same level of service we are currently providing," she said.
But the argument doesn't do much to convince Robbins.
"Somebody has to say no to these people. Somebody has to tell the city council that a 68-percent tax increase is a recession is too much," he said.
Markee says the last housing levy also paid for a place for homeless alcoholics, consequently saving the city $2 million in social service and hospital costs.
Williamson has heard all the arguments, and she just wants to say one more thing:
"We need to take care of each other," she said.
The big issue for opponents is how much the proposed levy will cost taxpayers.
Jeanne Williamson lives at the Jubilee Women's Center on Capitol Hill. She fled a violent relationship in Chicago and came here with $10 in her pocket.
"It could have been very bad trouble," she said. "I wouldn't have had my own place to sleep. I wouldn't have had my own clothes. Even hygiene would have been difficult."
Williamson was lucky. The place she lives is the result of a soon-to-expire Seattle housing levy.
Anna Markee says if the levy goes away, there will be many other like Williamson who will suffer.
"We'd have more children sleeping in cars. We'd see more seniors and people with disabilities who are struggling to get by, who might not have a place to live," said the supporter of the levy.
Markee and the city says the answer is a new housing levy -- Proposition 1.
If approved, Prop. 1 would cost the typical homeowner about $65 a year, which is a $24 jump from the current rate.
The seven-year levy totals $145 million. The last one, approved seven years ago, raised $86 million. The increase is too big fro some critics.
"It's a 68-percent tax increase in the middle of a recession," said Kirk Robbins. "And you don't raise taxes in the middle of a recession."
Robbins says he'd support a smaller levy.
But for Markee, the problem is inflation.
"We are actually providing the same level of service we are currently providing," she said.
But the argument doesn't do much to convince Robbins.
"Somebody has to say no to these people. Somebody has to tell the city council that a 68-percent tax increase is a recession is too much," he said.
Markee says the last housing levy also paid for a place for homeless alcoholics, consequently saving the city $2 million in social service and hospital costs.
Williamson has heard all the arguments, and she just wants to say one more thing:
"We need to take care of each other," she said.