Harger: King County raised your sales tax without a vote. The one time voters got a say on this issue, they said no

King County’s Transportation District voted 5-4 on Friday to impose a 0.1% sales tax on county residents starting January 1, 2027, raising roughly $100 million annually for road and bridge maintenance. Maple Valley residents will see this tax on their sales receipts; the vote happened without a public ballot, despite county voters rejecting an identical tax proposal in 2014. The Roads Division faces a $200 million annual shortfall and needs the revenue, but the board proceeded without asking voters again.