(The Center Square) – It’s now up to Seattle voters to decide on a six-year $1.3 billion levy that funds early-learning programs for the city’s youth.
On Tuesday, the Seattle City Council unanimously approved the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise, or FEPP, Levy, with a focus on funding childcare in the city to ease the financial burden on lower-income families. In total, the tax would fund early learning, childcare, and post-secondary preparation programs over six years, from 2026 to 2032.
The levy has an average tax rate of 61 cents per $1,000 of assessed value over the six-year period. If passed, it would cost the owner of a median assessed value Seattle home averaging $1.1 million about $656 a year, or almost 86% more than the $353 that the homeowner will pay toward the levy this year.
Out of the $1.3 billion in expected revenue, $658.2 million would go toward increasing the capacity of affordable childcare slots from 600 to 1,400, and an additional 600 slots for the Seattle Preschool Program.
Another $235 million would go to health and safety initiatives through Seattle’s K-12 schools.
Lastly, $82.5 million would be dedicated for post-secondary education and career support.
Seattle City Council Chair Sara Nelson said the FEPP Levy is one of the most important levies the city has, due to its impact on early learning and child development.
“This is the ballot measure that I think has the greatest long-term impact, because we know how important kindergarten readiness is and this particular levy does double the opportunity for people to take advantage of that critical readiness service,” Nelson said during the city council meeting.
Seattle voters have consistently supported the previous education levies, including in 1990, 1997, 2004 and 2011. In 2018, the Families and Education and Seattle Preschool levies were combined to create the current FEPP Levy, which 68% of voters approved.
