PASCO, WA – Ten years ago, voters in Kennewick and Richland actually rejected a similar proposal. Pasco overwhelmingly supported it.
Ten years later, Pasco Public Facilities District decided in December to make a new plan for the city most interested in an aquatic center: Pasco.
The city is now proposing a 44 million aquatic facility (both indoor and outdoor) which would increase sales taxes by 0.2%. This would apply to Pasco’s taxable goods and services, including things like buying household items or getting your car oil changed. The tax would not apply to food and prescription drugs.
Taxes would only apply for goods and services in Pasco. To give an example, a $10 purchase would include a 0.2 cent tax. $100 would include a 0.20 cent tax, and a $1,000 purchase would include a $2 tax.
With this tax, around 3.5 million more dollars could be added annually to fund building the facility.
The facility would be built in two phases. The first phase, including n 8,000 square foot indoor leisure pool, a 20,000 square foot outdoor activity pool, a party room, classroom, locker rooms, and outdoors areas would open by 2024.
The second phase would take another 12 to 15 years, including an 8-lane 25-year indoor competition pool
The first phase could potentially employ 16 full and part-time workers.
The tax is in accordance with RCW 82.14.048 for the purpose of paying the costs associated with the facility like financing, refinancing, design, construction, remodeling, equipping, and repairing.
Pasco public facilities district was formed on July 15, 2002, by the city council through ordinance no. 3558 granted by Washington state law pursuant to RCW 35.57.010.
Mail-in-ballots in for the special election are due by April 26th.
