Pierce County, Vancouver want taxes for transit

Pierce County voters will decide this fall whether to raise the sales tax so that Pierce Transit can restore some of the bus service that was cut last year.

And, the Vancouver City Council has endorsed a sales tax increase of one-tenth of a percentage point to help pay for light rail. The Pierce County agency's board agreed Monday to ask voters to approve a sales tax increase of three-tenths of a percentage point.

The News Tribune reports the agency currently collects six-tenths of a percent in sales tax within its boundaries. The additional three-tenths would bring it to the maximum allowed by state law. The Columbian reports the Vancouver council's support Monday will likely lead the C-Tran Board of Directors to put the sales tax increase on the November ballot.

The money would pay the cost of operating light rail that is expected to extend from Portland to Vancouver as part of the Columbia River Crossing bridge project.